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As anxiety over widespread private tutoring ahead of Barbados’ high-stakes 11-Plus entrance examination continues to build, the island nation’s top education official has pushed back against widespread criticism that classroom teachers lack commitment, instead laying the blame for over-reliance on extra tutoring on parental pressure for access to elite public schools.

Dr. Ramona Archer-Bradshaw, Barbados’ Chief Education Officer, delivered a robust defense of the country’s teaching workforce in comments to reporters this week, rejecting the broad claim that most educators are underperforming in their core roles. She argued that sweeping criticism of the profession is unfair and inaccurate, noting that the vast majority of Barbadian educators go far beyond their contractual obligations to support student success, particularly ahead of the high-stakes 11-Plus exam that determines secondary school placement.

“What I do know is that because some parents place a premium on certain schools in Barbados, they go all out to make sure that their children can have access to certain schools, and that is the reason why some of our parents will seek lessons for their children,” Archer-Bradshaw said. “I will not stand here and say that all of our teachers across the system are not teaching as they should. That would be very disingenuous of me.”

The education chief emphasized that the island’s teaching community consistently demonstrates extraordinary dedication to their students. “I can tell you that the teachers across Barbados generally give 110 per cent. They’re committed to the children of Barbados,” she said. Beyond delivering required academic content, Archer-Bradshaw noted that many teachers prioritize building critical life skills and positive social attitudes in young learners, devoting uncompensated extra time to reinforce concepts before the 11-Plus. Teachers across all primary grade levels – from Classes One through Four – often volunteer extra hours on weekends and during the Easter vacation to help students consolidate their knowledge, she added.

Archer-Bradshaw did not shy away from acknowledging performance gaps within the teaching workforce, however. She confirmed that a small share of teachers do not currently operate at their full potential, but stressed that most underperformance stems from a lack of targeted support rather than intentional neglect of duties. To address this gap, the ministry already deploys a team of education officers, master teachers, and instructional coaches to work directly with underperforming educators in schools, helping them build their skills and reach their full potential for the benefit of students.

Looking ahead, the ministry is moving forward with sweeping education transformation initiatives designed to elevate the island’s education system to global top rankings within six years. A key pillar of this agenda is a new national quality assurance framework, expected to launch within the next 12 to 24 months, which will establish clear, standardized benchmarks for effective teaching, school leadership, and high-performing school institutions. “When this quality assurance framework comes into play… this will indeed help us to move on to the trajectory of being the number one education system in the world,” Archer-Bradshaw said.

Another controversial reform currently moving forward is mandatory teacher licensing, a policy Archer-Bradshaw defended as a global standard for professional accountability and continuous improvement. She argued that licensing ensures all educators maintain up-to-date, cutting-edge teaching practices, a non-negotiable requirement if the country is to hit its goal of becoming a global leader in education.

Recognizing ongoing pushback from teaching unions, Archer-Bradshaw confirmed the administration remains committed to open, constructive dialogue with the Barbados Union of Teachers and other relevant labor groups. “We have regular meetings with the Barbados Union of Teachers as well as other unions. Of course, I will wait until we have that meeting and we will have a robust discussion as to the benefits of licensing, the disadvantages, and see where we can meet each other halfway or whole way,” she said.

On a bright Tuesday morning, hundreds of young test-takers across Barbados stepped through the gates of examination centers, carrying a unique blend of jittery nerves and quiet determination to tackle one of the most high-stakes milestones of their early academic careers: the Barbados Secondary School Entrance Examination (BSSEE), more widely known locally as the common entrance exam.

At one key testing site, Frederick Smith Secondary School located in the parish of St James, 124 pupils drawn from four local primary schools – St Silas Primary, St Albans Primary, Good Shepherd Primary and St James Primary – gathered alongside their families ahead of the opening bell. What stood out most among the gathered parents was a widespread, deliberate shift in priorities: for the vast majority, supporting their child’s emotional wellbeing took clear precedence over chasing a top exam score.

For Alinka Simon and her 11-year-old son Ronaldo, a student from St Albans Primary, the morning unfolded with the quiet rhythm of a normal school day. Simon remained steady and unflappable as she waited with her son, emphasizing that she had placed no extreme performance pressure on him. “He was calm and he was just ready for whatever comes,” Simon shared. “I don’t have any expectations. Whatever he does, that’s it.” For his part, Ronaldo was open about the weight of the moment, admitting a small dose of pre-test anxiety. “I’m feeling a little bit nervous. Last night, I was just trying to sleep… just trying to get the adequate sleep I needed,” he explained.

Claire Gittens, a Year 6 student from St Silas Primary, described her lead-up to the exam as an emotional rollercoaster. Speaking to reporters from Barbados TODAY, she recalled, “Yesterday I was almost going to cry, but I went by my auntie and I cooled off. I’m feeling nervous this morning.” Her mother Gina was quick to reinforce her message of unconditional support, saying, “Whatever she does is good with me, but you know she is going to do well.”

Consistent, low-pressure preparation was the approach taken by many parents of students from Good Shepherd Primary. Iyoka Lewis, mother of candidate Ariel Daniel, explained that she had supported her daughter’s study routine steadily in the lead-up to test day, but shared the same no-expectation mindset as other parents. “I went over her lessons about five days a week,” Lewis said. “Honestly, I really don’t have any expectations. I just want her to go in there and give her best. Whatever she does is well done.” Like many of her peers, Ariel described her pre-exam mood simply as “anxious.” For fellow candidate Rynisha Gilkes, the plan was to push past her fear and give the test her all. “I’m feeling kind of nervous and I’m scared to do the exam, but I’m going to go in there and try my best,” Gilkes said.

Beyond the support from parents, waiting teachers also played a key role in calming students’ nerves on the morning of the exam. Standing proudly with her group of students from St James Primary, educator Katrina Beresford projected a calm confidence that she hoped would settle her students’ nerves ahead of the test. “I feel calm and confident they will do their best,” Beresford said. “A lot of work went into preparing for today. They worked hard, they’re dedicated, they’re committed, and I believe that they will come out even better than I even expect.”

As the morning bell rang across the testing center, students slowly filed into their assigned classrooms to begin the exam. Outside the gates, parents lingered, some in quiet prayer for their children, others engaging in soft conversation with fellow parents, all waiting patiently for their children to complete this defining early academic milestone. Images captured ahead of the bell captured the outpouring of support across the site: a jubilant group of Good Shepherd Primary students laughing together ahead of their test, a candidate pulled into a warm, reassuring embrace from her mother, a teacher offering words of encouragement to a nervous pupil, and one student securing goodbye hugs from both parents before stepping into the testing hall.

On a Tuesday morning, as parents dropped off their children for classes and primary school students across the island sat for high-stakes common entrance examinations, a brazen act of violence unfolded just meters from Eden Lodge Nursery School on Sorrel Lane, sending shockwaves through the tight-knit Barbadian community. The incident, which unfolded around 8:25 a.m., saw a lone gunman approach an intended target and open fire with multiple rounds. Remarkably, the man targeted in the attack managed to flee the gunfire unharmed, and no children or bystanders were injured or killed in the shooting. Still, the proximity of the violence to a campus full of young children, timed exactly at the start of the school day, has triggered widespread panic among parents and deep anger across a neighborhood already stretched thin by a recent surge in violent crime.

Local law enforcement at Barbados’ District ‘A’ Police Station immediately launched a full investigation into the attack, cordoning off the shooting scene to process evidence. Photos from the scene captured a damaged vehicle left by the gunfire and anxious parents gathering outside the school to retrieve their children, images that have underscored the disruption to the community’s daily routine.

For long-time residents of Eden Lodge, the shooting represents a painful break from the area’s decades-long reputation as a quiet, family-friendly neighborhood. Many expressed utter disbelief that such a reckless act could be carried out so close to vulnerable young children. One distraught grandmother, whose grandson attends the nursery’s Year Two class, spoke for many in the community when she condemned the shooters’ blatant disregard for innocent life. “The shooter, whoever they are, they don’t care about man, woman, or child,” she said. “I loss for words because these children were in the nursery. To know I have my grandson in Year Two there, this is nonsense. It is unacceptable. Words cannot say how I feel about these people.” She joined other residents in a direct appeal to Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, urging urgent, aggressive action to curb the island’s rising crime wave.

Another resident, who was resting in his home when the gunshots rang out, described the sudden shattering of the neighborhood’s long-held peace. “I hear shots while resting on my bed, and I just tell the madam: ‘Get down.’ That was about it,” he recalled. “This area was quiet for years, and all of a sudden this new generation is bringing different things. The fact that it happened in front of a school is so painful. To know little innocent children would be at high risk while parents are at work… it is sad.” Like many community members, he called for a full, sustained crackdown on criminal activity in the area to restore a sense of safety for local families. “This area needs a cleaning—a healthy cleaning. I pray to God and hope that the culprits are found,” he added.

The Barbados National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (BNCPTA), led by president Nicole Brathwaite, issued a scathing condemnation of the attack, framing it as a fundamental violation of the safe space that schools are obligated to provide for children. “The BNCPTA condemned this shooting in the strongest terms,” Brathwaite said in an official statement. “This is not just unfortunate; this is unacceptable.”

As word of the shooting spread quickly across social media and local gossip networks, dozens of anxious parents rushed to the scene to reach their children, prompting the BNCPTA to issue an urgent appeal for calm to allow law enforcement and emergency responders to secure the campus and account for all students. The organization emphasized that following official police protocols was the fastest and safest way to reunite families. “We urge parents to stay as calm as possible and follow The Barbados Police Service’s protocols as they reunite with their children,” Brathwaite said. “Your cooperation helps keep everyone safe.”

Beyond the immediate response to Tuesday’s incident, the BNCPTA used the shooting to call for broader, nationwide action to address root causes of violent crime and protect children’s safe spaces. The organization urged all Barbadians to move past shock and outrage toward collective action, pushing for sustained efforts to eliminate violence from communities and schools. “We call on all parents and citizens to stay vigilant and join us in demanding safer communities,” the statement concluded. “Our children deserve nothing less.”

As of late Tuesday evening, when investigative efforts were still ongoing, law enforcement had not made any arrests in connection with the shooting, and had not yet confirmed a definitive motive for the attack. Police are asking any member of the public with information related to the incident, no matter how small it may seem, to contact District ‘A’ Police Station or their nearest local precinct to assist with the investigation.