Opinion: Major Restructuring is Needed
[Written by Clinton Paynter] Let me preface this by saying that I currently have two children in the Public School System and two more that will be enrolled in the next few years so I have a vested interest in seeing it succeed. It is my belief that major restructuring is needed and not just the window dressing that we have seen previously or what has been recently proposed. From my own personal experiences I can point out numerous flaws that need to be addressed.
Teachers are being admitted into the system with dubious credentials. Just because you have a degree in a field from a learning institution that nobody has heard of does not make you qualified to teach my or anyone else’s children. Backgrounds and qualifications must be vetted more thoroughly.
I have found that there are many wonderful teachers but their creativity is stifled by an overly rigid and controlling structure. If they are truly qualified instructors then please remove the bureaucratic obstacles and let them teach. They enter the system fresh and full of ideas with a sparkle in their eye and a fire in their heart, but within a few years this is extinguished and replaced by the “it’s just a job” attitude. I fear that this is causing the exceptional teachers to leave the system and persue more fulfilling roles in the private sector.
When broken down per child the amount of money spent is outrageous for the sub par level of service provided. $150 million dollars divided by 5,900 students equals $25,423 per year. Student enrollment is dropping as more people lose faith in the system and place their children in private education and home schools yet the Ministries budget does not reflect this.
The children are being made to adjust to the learning environment instead of the environment and curriculum being tailored and tweaked to fit them. Outside the box thinking and innovation is discouraged as is anything that is not considered the “norm”. It can be seen throughout history that outside the box thinkers that didn’t conform are the ones that have led the way. Is the goal to produce strictly average students? If the current regime continues this will undoubtedly be the end result.
I have had experiences with reading recovery and learning support in Primary School. One would think the extra help for the students is a good idea but the problem is this. If a student is having problems with reading and you pull said student out of his mathematics class on a continual basis would you be at all surprised if the students falls behind in math as well? Seems like a simple problem but it occurs more often than you would think.
The Hopkins Report laid out exactly what was wrong and needed improvement. It also clearly explained ways for them to be fixed. We owe it to our children to act on these recommendations as soon as possible, it has already been four years since the report was presented. How many more years must we wait?
Having said all this please realize that I am not making a blanket statement about all teachers or all schools. Also let me say that a teachers job today is more difficult than ever with all the social ills that are so pervasive in our community. We also must not forget that parents have a huge roll to play and I am by no means absolving them of any responsibility in the problems with education today. At the end of the day my ultimate goal is the same as yours, to insure that our children receive the world class education that our tax dollars have paid for.
[Clinton J. A. Paynter’s writings can be found at bermudafirst.blogspot.com]
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hmmmm…..$25,423 on a school child per year??? And we spend $60-$80,000 per year on each prisoner we keep locked up??
something is wrong here. Clearly we need to spend more on education then maybe they wont end up in prison.
The Ministry of Education cannot manage the public schools. The Ministry needs to go. That itself will save millions of money that is currently wasted. The public schools should be run by Trustees who report to the Ministry of Finance. The Trustees will give the Headmasters/Principles the support they need to hire and fire teachers. The Min of Finance will give the respective Trustees a flat amount of money per student plus amounts necessary to fund capital maintanance and upgrades.
Private schools cost around $17,000… Why does it cost so much for a private school. Should we outsource the school system?
I agree with Mr.Paynter 100%.
The Hopkin’s report tell the truth of the way the Goverment Education system is run, but in Bermuda we will pay for this report and then put the report in a drawer to catch dust.
When good money is spent for the future of our children certain people in charge decided not to follow what someone says is a bad pattern happening in the Education system. This pattern is a principal being moved out of a school because of her abusive tacts and put in a office cozy office job. Teachers being black balled by the ministry because they speak out about the bad day to day goings on at there school.(pattern)
And the union and the people in the ministry working hand and hand (pattern)to undermind the teachers that are saying the same thing the Hopkins report is saying everyone that is in charge of the system has no clue.(Wendy McDonnell the new Commissioner of paperclips). This means (mike charles)the worthless union need to watch out for his paper clips.
I could go on and on about the wasted time and lost young souls that this country dealing with but i will just end up in a draw.But we need to make the ministry of education more accountable no more new title get rid of them anywhere else in the world they would be gone for not doing there job.
There are so many experts on education. When was the last time these people have been in a school for any length of time. In the meantime whilst public Education is systematically bashed in this community by all sectors, those who apply themselves and attain excellence go to the same universities as the private schools, graduate and become productive citizens. Yes the system can improve, all can. But there is little wrong with the system itself, massive improvement needs to be made with the attitude, lack of drive and ambition to excell in a majority of students and families. Those who value education get it, those who don’t suffer consequences.
There is little wrong with the system itself? I guess you haven’t read the Hopkins Report then… Google it and check it out… It’s ony 40 pages. Spent time in the system? I have children in the system and have seen the flaws in it first hand… there are many. If the problems can’t be fixed then give me back my tax money and I will educate them myself. As it is now far too much is wasted…
“If the problems can’t be fixed then give me back my tax money and I will educate them myself.” I like that idea! I put my daughter in home school for 3 years. I think when parents make the choice to put them in alternative schools we should get tax breaks or grants. Even though our children are no longer in the public school system our money still goes towards it.
Hmmmm…now there is an idea well past its time.
Fire the whole lot at the Ministry of Education. It seems to be a cosy club of ineptitude, & has been for decades.
The most expensive private school costs the students parents something like $18,000 these days. Those schools produce results. Those schools also demand that parents get involved too.
Perhaps it is way past time for each student to recieve a $18,000 per year grant to be used at the private school of their choice. The parents of students currently in private schools are paying twice. Once for private tuition & again through taxes for a public tuition not being used.
Privatise the whole system. Run each school by its own board & have a member of each board be a representative of an Island overseeing board for curriculim.
The Peter Principle is running rampant in the system as it stands today.
For those unfamiliar with The Peter Principle it is defined as the process of promoting an employee to his/her level of incompetence. It is a level that many in Government attain.
Mr Paynter
While you are correct that the system needs fixing at least 50% of our problem is parent based. Parents either don’t have the time or don’t care to make the time to get involved with their children’s academic lives. And I’m not just talking about helping with homework, I’m talking about the basics like sending them off to school with a clean uniform on their back and feeding them breakfast every morning. So you can fix all the teacher and Ministry issues that you claim exist (indeed the system is broken) but until you crack the issue at home you’ll never get the job done…