Agro option open

by SHERRYLYN A TOPPIN sherrylynclarke@nationnews. com

THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION is willing to consider making accommodation for Agrofest when it plans the next cycle of dates for the school year.

Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw said the current dates were set three years ago and this was communicated to chief executive officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society James Paul, who again this year lamented the timing of the Hilary (Term 2) break last Thursday and Friday and its effect on the opening day of the annual agricultural exhibition.

“There will be no guarantee, but it can be considered,” Archer-Bradshaw said when reached by telephone yesterday.

Paul said organisers of the three-day expo in Queen’s Park, The City, which climaxed last night, traditionally relied on the hundreds of schoolchildren visiting the Friday.

“I want to make a special appeal to the Ministry of Education to please stop seeming like they are trying to mess up this event. I don’t know if they appreciate the significance of Agrofest. I feel they think agriculture is just about a hoe and a spade but there are many more aspects,” he complained on Friday.

“The ministry has to realise that as much as we are looking at educating children academically, many of those who are here today started as children visiting this same event and now they are involved in agriculture. We as a country are fighting against NCDs (noncommunicable diseases) and here we have a competition encouraging schoolchildren to utilise local foods and ground provisions,” he said referring to the newlyintroduced cook-off for schools.

Agrofest coordinator Thedore Fraser expressed similar sentiments and appealed for different midterm dates, adding they would like to have “at least 80 or 90 per cent of all the schools in Barbados” at the event.

Weekend to bond

Archer-Bradshaw said Agrofest was not only for the schools, but families should make use of the weekend to bond and build memories.

“I don’t see anything wrong with parents and family members taking their children to Agrofest. It is three days and given what is happening in our society now, it is needed now more than ever for parents to bond with their children and teach them things,” she told the DAILY NATION.

“Learning can happen outside of school as well as in school, and all learning does not rest with Ministry of Education or the school proper. Learning also rests with parents and other family members, members of the society and so on.

“So, the Ministry of Education will continue to play its part, and we would want families and members of the community to continue to play their part as well. I’m sure that this year we had several children attending,” she added.

Some children did attend in groups on Friday although they were on break, mostly from the nursery level and private schools, but the education chief lauded those who went as families.

“I’ve seen children attending with their family members and I applaud parents for taking that initiative to bond with their children and expose them to various products, and to give them experiences that they will remember for a lifetime,” Archer-Bradshaw said.

Meanwhile, on the issue of the term’s leave again raised by the Barbados Union of Teachers and highlighted in yesterday’s SUNDAY SUN, she said Permanent Secretary Wendy Odle was the person liaising with the trade unions and the Ministry of the Public Service, and would be in a better position to respond.

Teachers are calling for a speedy resolution to the issue of term’s leave which was changed from the first 15 years and every five years subsequent, to the first 15 and then upon retirement.