分类： society

The 2026 iteration of Barbados’ most critical academic milestone for primary school leavers, the Secondary Schools Entrance Examination (BSSEE), launched without major disruption on Tuesday, drawing more than 2,700 fourth-year primary students across the island nation to sit the high-stakes assessment that will shape their secondary education pathways. Breaking down the participation statistics, Chief Education Officer Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw detailed that the cohort included 1,410 male test-takers and 1,367 female participants. Additionally, 14 students completed the exam early, 53 received exam exemptions, and 89 have had their assessments deferred to a later date.

Dr. Archer-Bradshaw praised the work of the Ministry of Education’s examinations and assessment team, noting that officers arrived at the ministry’s headquarters in the early hours of Tuesday to resolve any last-minute issues and keep the testing process on track. Education Transformation Minister Chad Blackman joined Dr. Archer-Bradshaw, Permanent Secretary Kim Belle, and Deputy Chief Education Officer Julia Beckles for a pre-exam visit to Deighton Griffith School, one of the test centers hosting the exam across the country.

Addressing students gathered before they entered the examination hall, Blackman offered words of encouragement to ease any pre-test anxiety. “This is your moment to shine. Be comfortable, be relaxed — you’ve done the work to prepare. Today is just your chance to show what you know, go in and do your best. The entire ministry, your school, your teachers and your parents are all proud of you already, and at the end of the day, your effort is what matters most,” he told the students.

After the first day of testing got underway, Blackman spoke with reporters, extending commendations to the full ecosystem of educators, administrators and support staff that helped students prepare for the assessment. “We’re incredibly encouraged by the confidence we’ve seen from our students this year, and that confidence would not exist without the hard work of our teachers. Preparation for this exam starts long before Class 4 — it builds from early nursery education all the way through primary school, so every educator along the way deserves recognition,” Blackman said.

In addition to Deighton Griffith School, ministry leadership conducted site visits to Parkinson Memorial Secondary School and Frederick Smith Secondary School as part of routine quality checks to confirm testing was running smoothly across all centers. Blackman explained that education officers had been deployed to every testing site across Barbados to respond quickly to any issues that arose during the exam period. “Our team has worked tirelessly for months to put logistics in place for this exam, and having on-site support across the island ensures that every student can test in a calm, fair environment,” he noted.

Blackman highlighted a particularly notable trend in 2026: a widespread atmosphere of calm and confidence among entering test-takers, a shift he attributed to intentional preparation by both teachers and families. “Over the past few weeks, as my colleagues and I visited primary schools across the country, from Gordon Greenidge Primary in Saint Albans to classrooms across every parish, we’ve all noticed the same level of quiet assurance from students. This year, more than any in recent memory, students seem relaxed heading into the exam room. That comes from teachers reaffirming that preparation starts day one of primary school, not just in the final year, and from parents reassuring students that their worth isn’t tied to one test result,” Blackman said.

Beyond exam day, the minister emphasized that all Barbadian students will have access to a high-quality secondary education regardless of their placement results. “No matter which secondary school a student attends after this exam, we’ve worked closely with school boards and principals to guarantee that every young person gets an exceptional experience when they start in September. We’ve upgraded curriculum frameworks, invested in teacher training, improved school culture, and expanded new opportunities that make secondary school a transformative foundation for lifelong growth. This is an exciting time for education across Barbados,” he stated.

At the close of the first day of testing, following a tour of Frederick Smith Secondary School, Blackman confirmed the day was largely successful, with only one minor disruption: a delayed start at a Saint Michael-based school. “We had a small delay earlier at one Saint Michael school, and we will be launching a full review to understand what caused the issue and prevent it from impacting future testing,” he said.

By the end of Tuesday, all scheduled testing for the day was completed, and Blackman commended students for their performance, urging them to take a well-deserved rest after months of preparation. “Now it’s time for them to relax and enjoy a earned break. I can assure the country that the first day of the 2026 BSSEE has gone exactly as planned. Students are already celebrating completing the exam, and I want to thank every student, every parent and every teacher for their hard work to get to this point.”

On Tuesday, the BSSEE ran concurrently with ongoing Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) assessments being held at several secondary school centers across the island.

Law enforcement authorities in Barbados are asking for the public’s help to find a missing teen from Christ Church. Keimone Donica Speede, 14, who lives in the Upper Carters Gap area of Enterprise B, has not been contacted since she was last spotted at 2:37 p.m. on Monday, March 4, 2026.

Police have released a full physical description of the missing teenager to help community members identify her. Speede stands approximately five feet five inches tall, has a slim frame, and a dark complexion. Distinguishing features include a protruding forehead and small nose. Those familiar with her note she speaks in a soft tone and typically walks with a slumped posture.

When she was last seen, Speede was wearing a black short-sleeved top, patterned black-and-white long pants, and white slip-on slippers. She was also carrying a blue-and-pink haversack at the time of her disappearance.

Investigators added that Speede has a known history of leaving home without warning, and she often travels to the Silver Sands district in Christ Church. This pattern of behavior has led police to focus community outreach and search efforts in that area, while also calling on any member of the public who may have seen her recently to come forward.

Any individual with information about Keimone Donica Speede’s current location, no matter how small it may seem, is urged to contact local law enforcement immediately. Tips can be submitted directly to the Oistins Police Station at 430-2612 or 430-2604, the national police emergency line at 211, anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIPS (8477), or any nearby local police station across the country.

On the cusp of its 85th anniversary, the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) has turned a ceremonial act into a powerful testament to its decades-long fight for working people, burying a symbolic time capsule at its Solidarity House headquarters that holds far more than just historical artifacts. Sealed during an official ceremony led by BWU General Secretary Toni Moore, the capsule carries a carefully crafted message of gratitude, collective resilience, and unwavering commitment to the union’s core mission that stretches across generations.

During the event, Moore reflected on the union’s 84-year journey, paying public tribute to the generations of rank-and-file members, elected officers, and visionary leaders whose dedication has kept the labour movement thriving through decades of economic upheaval, social change, and systemic challenge. The ceremony drew a cross-section of Barbados’ labour community, with attendees including former BWU General Secretary Sir Roy Trotman, Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union head Mary Redman, National Union of Public Workers General Secretary Richard Greene, and representatives from dozens of other labour organizations across the island.

As the union prepares to mark its 85th founding anniversary in October 2026, Moore used the gathering to extend heartfelt gratitude to every person who keeps the BWU’s mission active in workplaces across Barbados. “This time capsule holds gratitude to the shop stewards, the officers, the delegates, the members — everyone who keeps this movement alive and moving every single day,” she told the crowd.

Moore also took the opportunity to honor the trailblazing women who broke barriers to open the door for her historic appointment as the BWU’s first female general secretary, acknowledging the broad base of support that has sustained her leadership through 12 years of significant economic and social turbulence. “A leader is only as strong as those who stand with him or with her,” Moore said. “The past 12 years have been rough. The seas have been choppy, but the journey has been possible because I’m assured that I do not stand alone. To those who walk with me, those who supported me, those who challenged me… it is because of you… that we refuse to break. Instead, we continue to grow in strength.”

Far from being a mere symbolic archive of past achievements, Moore framed the capsule as a living message to future generations of BWU leadership, scheduled to be opened on the union’s 100th anniversary in 2041. “Today, as we shortly install this time capsule, we are planting more than memories. We are planting a message to the future,” she said, emphasizing that the BWU is “an institution that is built to last.” She stressed that the union’s foundational values — fairness, economic justice, and unwavering advocacy for working people — remain just as relevant today amid the rapid shifts reshaping global and local workplaces. “Our commitment to fairness and justice will always be non-negotiable and…the worker, always the worker, remains at the center of everything that we do.”

The BWU, Barbados’ oldest and most influential trade union, traces its origins to the widespread labour unrest that swept across the British West Indies in the 1930s, officially forming on October 4, 1941. From its early days, it has represented workers across nearly every sector of the Barbadian economy, from agriculture, transport, and tourism to manufacturing, public services, and media. It quickly emerged as a defining driving force behind Barbados’ social and economic transformation, working collaboratively with the country’s two major political parties at times, and challenging them when necessary to advance worker interests. Many of the parties’ most prominent leaders, including Moore herself — who serves as a backbench Member of Parliament for the ruling Barbados Labour Party — have roots in the union’s leadership.

In the decades following Barbados’ independence, the BWU grew into a mass-membership organization of tens of thousands of workers, earning a reputation for uncompromising, effective collective bargaining that delivered landmark gains for working people. The union secured transformative improvements to social security, expanded severance protections, and stronger employment safeguards that benefit all Barbadian workers today. In recent years, amid shifting labour market dynamics and changing political landscapes, overall union membership has declined, but the BWU has continued its advocacy against unfair workplace treatment. Most recently, it led the successful push for new legislation that bars companies found to have violated workers’ rights from receiving government public contracts.

Closing her remarks to the future BWU leaders who will unseal the capsule in 2041, Moore issued a call to continue strengthening the vital institution they will inherit, carrying forward the mission that has defined the BWU for nearly a century.