Minister of Education Transformation Chad Blackman on Monday vowed to fasttrack sweeping curriculum reforms and infrastructure overhauls for the new school year in September, declaring Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s reappointment of him a resounding vote of confidence in his transformation drive.
“I think it really speaks to the level of confidence that the Prime Minister has in my ability,” Blackman told reporters at his inauguration, adding that the focus now is “to ensure that we can build on what we started and to really deliver the transformation in a major way.”
He noted that several initiatives are already in train, alongside commitments outlined in the governing Barbados Labour Party’s manifesto.
The minister indicated that work would resume immediately.
“In short order, even from this evening when I leave here, I’m going to go to the ministry to…. ensure that we can now get a number of things done strategically for transformation,” he said.
At the top of the agenda is ensuring a smooth transition for students moving from primary to secondary school when the academic year opens in September.
“Priority, of course, amongst many other things is to ensure that we can make the transition from primary to secondary school, which of course is starting in September this year, seamless,” Blackman explained.
But he stressed that curriculum reform remains a central pillar of the broader transformation effort. According to Blackman, the goal is to craft a modern, relevant curriculum that reflects national identity while equipping students to compete globally.
“Two [is] the curriculum and reform and ensuring that we can now have a curriculum that’s fit for purpose,” he said. He added that stakeholders must also be guided through the changes so they understand “what it includes, how they can navigate that space,” while enabling children “for the first time in our history [to] have a curriculum that allows for them to unleash the true spirit of being Barbadian whilst at the same time looking outward and preparing them for the world ahead and being able to deliver a world class quality education.”
Infrastructure upgrades will also feature prominently in the ministry’s plans. Blackman reiterated longstanding concerns about the age and condition of many school campuses across the island.
“There are a number of things as well that have to be done in earnest – infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure,” he said, noting that school buildings range “between 50 years to 200 years old”. As the government undertakes upgrades and expansion, he stressed the need for facilities that are both resilient and modern, capable of supporting new styles of teaching and learning.
Equally important, he said, is continued professional development for educators to ensure they are fully equipped to deliver on the reimagined system.
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