Teachers should be allowed to think ‘outside of the box’ – Education COI

May 04, 2017 News

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– Recommends sanctions for defaulting Regional Education Officers

Teachers are priceless. With this in mind, at every level, teachers must be treated with utmost respect. “We must treat them better; we must empower our head teachers, too, and let them understand that they can think outside

of the box. We must praise their creativity.”
This was the deduction of Mr. Ed Caesar, Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry [COI] into the public education system.
A preliminary report of the inquiry was last week handed over to Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, in hopes that its recommendations will be implemented to help better the system.
Based on the findings of the COI, Caesar said that “too many persons [teachers] in the regions complained that they can only do what has been demanded and directed by the Region Education Officers. They can see things that they can adjust and they can adapt to suit a particular situation, but they cannot do that…chances are that they can be sanctioned.”
But this should not be the case, Caesar, a former Chief Education Officer [CEO], has asserted.
This is in light of the fact, Caesar noted, that in the early 1980s the sector was decentralised. This move, he recalled, saw the CEO of the Ministry delegating powers to the Regional Education Officers to help monitor the delivery of education countrywide, in addition to other duties.
But during the recent COI, Caesar revealed, “We have discovered, so to speak, just like Columbus, that there seems to be a disconnect somewhere.”
“It says to us that some of the Regional Education Officers don’t seem to understand their responsibilities,” informed Caesar, as he claimed to have knowledge that Deputy Chief Education Officer [Admin], Ms. Donna Chapman,” has been struggling and striving, pressing and begging, beseeching and appealing for the [Regional Education] Officers to understand their functions.”
Caesar is however convinced that this situation could be easily remedied. According to him, “The problem, to my mind, is that the systems are in place, but one major system is absent and that system is called sanctions.”
“Unless there is in place a system of sanctions where people who are not performing are either removed or disciplined, we will continue on this same road until our great grandchildren become Education Officers,” Caesar theorised. He moreover emphasized the need for strategic tactics to be put in place to address the prevailing situation.
Among the suggestions of the COI Caesar shared, is that of the re-orientation of officers in the Regions. He added too “that re-orientation must end up with them signing to some kind of contract or something to say these are their responsibilities. Unless that is done, it is going to be business as usual, and we can’t continue down that road,” he asserted.
Ahead of becoming Regional Education Officers, individuals are expected to successfully complete a Cadet Officers’ training programme. And according to Caesar, based on the Commission’s observation of those currently in training “they are doing a decent job.”
But according to him, “Even as we speak to the re-orientation of the officers, let us ensure that our Cadet Programmes remain strong, even becomes stronger, so when persons are placed in departments and sections of the Ministry we will have good functionaries.”
Added to this, Caesar spoke of the need for a review of the criteria that are used to allocate officers to the regions.
“Many more things are happening in the regions now than used to happen in the 1980s…in 1982 when the officers were sent to the regions. Many more things are happening, but we still have the same number of substantive officers,” said Caesar. He therefore underscored that “there needs to be a closer examination of the needs of each region and an allocation of officers to ensure that supervision is done.”
As part of the effort to improve the operations of the system’s Regional Education Officers, Caesar said that the Commission is also suggesting that the desk manuals be updated and every effort be made to ensure that officers read them and understand their responsibilities and can carry out their functions. Officers, especially in the regions, Caesar reiterated, must understand the importance of teachers in the process.

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