Barbados Education Reform put on hold until 2026

Barbados has been gearing up for a notable change in the nation's education system, the country Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training (METVT) has laid out a plan of action in relation to education reform, but it has recently been pushed back to 2026 instead of the initially planned dates of 2025.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley disclosed dealings of the education highlights from her presented financial statement and budget proposals.

Mottley stated to the House of Assembly that 80% of all that was being done in the ministry has been free of any controversy, so educator training, retooling, administrative arrangements, curriculum reworking and improving schools will “continue apace while we deal with the other critical issue of how we treat the transfer between primary and secondary schools.”

She stated “The Ministry of Education is now deep into the national educational transformation agenda. I’m satisfied that we have to continue the conversation with the country and as a result, the earliest that any major transitions can occur is September 2026, as opposed to 2025.”

Some changes will be made prior to 2026, starting September 1 this year, 22 master teachers will be assigned throughout various secondary schools to support educator effectiveness and heightened instructional quality.

Although these changes do not come without resistance, opposition leader Ralph Thorne has been vocal in wanting the government to distance itself from education reform, he stated the proposed changes should not take effect “unless those reforms in education are progressive.”

This statement was made during the opposition’s budgetary response in the House of Assembly, the first one since the 2022 general elections. He goes on to suggest that there have been examples of such reforms being introduced elsewhere only to fail, questioning the motive behind such reforms he stated “You speak to me about your purpose, I enquire about your motive.”

It does seem likely that the gears of this change have begun to function, the delay does not in any way indicate that these reforms intend to be cancelled before full-scale implementation throughout the nation of Barbados.