Union concern over teacher shortage

As of Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Belinda Wilson

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

A SHORTAGE OF teachers, classroom size and “piled up garbage” were some of the concerns expressed by Bahamas Union of Teachers President Belinda Wilson as public schools opened yesterday.

Ms Wilson said the public school system once again does not have an adequate number of teachers for the number of students and classes.

However, she told The Tribune she has been assured by the Ministry of Education that they are in the process of bringing new teachers on board to fill the gap.

“I have a couple of concerns that were brought to me by teachers across the country.”

“In Eleuthera, Gregory Town Primary needs more teachers and they are also still in the Lodge Hall and wondering when they will be moving out and getting their own school. It has been two years now and they are still there,” she said.

“C H Reeves is also in need of several teachers and janitors. Uriah McPhee also needs teachers and so does Cleveland Eneas and several other schools. So there is a shortage of teachers again. But I spoke with someone in Human Resources in the Ministry and they said they are still in the process of employing and recruiting. So they have not completed their hiring, that is what they told me.

“So I have to wait and see. I have also been told that several schools have garbage collection issues and construction debris. It is still early in the week so I cannot say I am pleased yet. I have also been told that C V Bethel has a large number of students again this year.”

Ms Wilson also congratulated the government for investing nearly half a million dollars in Uriah McPhee and Stephen Dillet Primary – two schools that were plagued with issues last September.

“I am pleased that the government fixed the issues with Stephen Dillet and Uriah McPhee,” she said. “Despite the ministry saying nothing was wrong last year, I see they spent hundreds of thousands of dollars fixing the air conditioning in the schools. So hopefully the students and teachers will have a great school year and no interruptions because of the heat. Now I only hope BEC stays on because air conditioning without electricity doesn’t make sense.”

Education Director Lionel Sands said last week despite the many challenges that plagued Uriah McPhee and Stephen Dillet Primary Schools last year, both institutions were expected to open “without any problems” on September 1.

Mr Sands said the Ministry of Education has spent more than $500,000 on upgrades to ensure the issues that caused closures at both schools last September do not resurface.

Overall, the Ministry of Education has spent $7.7million on school repairs across the Bahamas – $500,000 in Grand Bahama, $1m in the Family Islands and about $6.2m in New Providence. All public schools are expected to open on time.

Tommy77 9 years, 7 months ago

Yes we need more Teachers bad.http://s04.flagcounter.com/mini/kfoW/..." style="display:none" />

SP 9 years, 7 months ago

Alternatively, less teachers and funds would be needed if we got rid of the illegal Haitians in our school system.

TheMadHatter 9 years, 7 months ago

You mussy tryin to get lock-up eh?

TheMadHatter

TheMadHatter 9 years, 7 months ago

People don't seem to realize that free medical clinics and free school are not actually free. You will pay the price, or get things that ain't so nice. Hey ! That rhymes !!

TheMadHatter

TheMadHatter 9 years, 7 months ago

Once the VAT gets added to dey plantain and Ramen noodle and turkey wing - dey ga go back home.

TheMadHatter

Cobalt 9 years, 7 months ago

Ha. I wish. These illegal Haitians are a huge burden to our country.

TheMadHatter 9 years, 7 months ago

The thing is you can't even talk about the problem. You see the leader of the teacher's union did not even mention them in this article. But she is not stupid. She knows the problem, I'm sure.

TheMadHatter

Tarzan 9 years, 7 months ago

When will we face the elephant in the room?

Since the Pindling government, in a frenzy of exuberant nationalism, kicked all the foreign teachers out of the Bahamas, without a thought to the development of a home grown, qualified alternative staff, our public schools have been broken and they remain broken to this day.

Many of our teachers are semi-literate. Our children for the most part receive a substandard education. We reap the consequences in street violence and a dysfunctional society daily. Until we face the facts we will not solve the problem.

concernedcitizen 9 years, 7 months ago

@tarzan ,,So very true ..

Cobalt 9 years, 7 months ago

The real elephant in the room is that too many of our children simply aren't interested in education. Just take a look around or listen to some of our children when they speak. They've been indoctrinated into a culture that has disregarded the principles of hard work and education. Instead, they continue to been influenced by a "something for nothing" culture that not only exist, but is rampant here in the Bahamas.

Yes, our public school system is broken. But so are the homes in which these children reside. Street violence and a dysfunctional society are the residual effects of dysfunctional homes. The sum of the majority of problems that exist in our country, is the direct result of non-functioning HOMES!!!

HOME is where you refine your education! HOME is where you learn the value of a good education! HOME is where you learn that nothing in life is free! HOME is where you learn that sex before marriage is wrong! It's time for us Bahamian parents to take responsibility for our children and stop placing all the blame on the system of government.

themessenger 9 years, 7 months ago

Strange as it might seem to some of us, the children born of Haitians legally residing have as much right to an education as anyone else. The difference between them and the majority of our Bahamian students is that they take full advantage of their opportunity and are not nearly as disruptive and disrespectful as their Bahamian counterparts. It was laughable when quite recently we had members of the public an clergy no less whining on the talk shows about how dey cud gie all da educational prizes and awards to da hyshun dem. Nobody gave those children anything, they earned them. The difference between their results and ours boils down to two things, HARD WORK & PARENTING!!!

concernedcitizen 9 years, 7 months ago

My girlfriend taught at C R Walker and would tell me the same thing ,the Hatians kids did better ..

The Tribune