Education issues stirring? :

Two schools in Eleuthera - the Preston Albury High School (PHAHS) in Rock Sound, and the Harbour Island All Age School (HIAAS) on Harbour Island, saw teachers taking industrial action after the return to school on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2023, as a result of a variety of serious concerns, from a shortage of teachers and other essential staff to a lack of administrative support with student behavioural issues.

Belinda Wilson, president of the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT), who was in Eleuthera on Thursday, January 5th at the Preston Albury High School, and in Harbour Island on Friday, January 6th in support of the actions taken by teachers at both schools, explained, “...We have taken industrial action because teachers are concerned at two of the schools in Eleuthera. The first one would be Preston Albury High School, where the concern is teacher shortages - in English Language, Mathematics, and the technical subjects.

She continued, “On Thursday we were at Preston Albury High in meetings from morning until afternoon. All day, we were in meetings with the district superintendent and his team and the principal, along with our union area vice president and district shop steward at Preston Albury High School. We are trying to work out the issues, but there are still issues that are outstanding.

“In addition to the teacher shortages, we have a major concern about the leadership of the school. There are a number of concerns basically about the manner in which the school is being operated, as well as the communication - or the lack thereof. The communication between the principal and the teachers, and even the janitresses, security and support staff. So, we continue to work along with the Ministry of Education to ensure that these matters are addressed in the shortest time.

President Wilson then added, “As for the Harbour Island All Age School - they are in need of a grade five teacher, a religious studies teacher, a guidance counsellor, a social studies teacher, a security officer, as well as furniture needs. Now, we have been advised that some of the needed furniture should be on island, arriving on the boat today (Friday, January 6th). We have other furniture that they will be awaiting. The teachers are very concerned too about ‘burn out’. They are concerned about their safety. Harbour Island All Age School does not have even one security officer. So, again we have been in meetings just now with the principal and his administrative team, with the local government chief councillor, and also the island administrator. We also communicated with the local police today.

“So, we are here, taking a stand, and what I would like for people to realize is - when teachers take a stand for safety reasons, and for more teachers - that benefits our nation’s children. So, we are taking a stand for the betterment of the education system.” BUT president Wilson was also accompanied by her area vice president, Mr. Anton Duncombe, who had arrived in Eleuthera on Wednesday.

Wilson and her team returned to New Providence on Friday afternoon, January 6th, but she stated before she left, “The industrial action will continue until we get definite action from the Ministry of Education.”

The industrial action by teachers took several forms at the two schools, with teachers at the Harbour Island All Age School stag- ing a ‘sit in’ on campus - where they were present at school, but not teaching in the classrooms.

At Preston Albury High School, the teachers ‘sat in’ until the Friday, when they ‘sat out’ for the day.

Following the weekend, on Monday morning, January 9th, 2023, teachers at Preston H. Albury High School, returned to campus, where they met with school administrators. They, however, continued a ‘sit in’ on Monday, ahead of the Majority Rule holiday on Tuesday. Industrial action by teachers in Harbour Island also continued.

Teachers in Harbour Island all returned to their classrooms on Wednesday, January 11th, following the Majority Rule holiday, confirmed BUT shop steward representative at the school, Mrs. Ferguson.

She shared, “Things have not been fully resolved, but some of our main issues have been addressed, and some of them are in the process of being addressed. For example, one of our main issues was for teachers to have an adequate amount of time for planning. Some teachers did not have any, so, that was addressed. We did not have a security officer - we are promised that by next week we would be given the name of someone who should be starting next week as a security officer. For the grade five teacher, we did not have one. One is currently in place - but that person is not yet on the islandbut they have been identified. In the meantime, someone that is on island will actually be holding the grade five class.

She continued, “A railing that was dangerous and hazardous, because there was a large chunk of the railing leading to the second story that was missing - from which a child almost fell over - that has been replaced. We are still awaiting word on a guidance counsellor, and we are still awaiting word on a Social Studies teachernone have been identified. We are still awaiting the religious studies teacher to come, but she has started to teach virtually from wherever she is. So, that is where we are.”

“I can say if you are going to put a percentage to it - 50% of the issues have been resolved. They say they are working on the others - they are to update us. Some should be in place by next week, they say. So, those were the reasons why we returned to class yesterday,” explained shop steward, Mrs. Ferguson.

On Thursday morning, January 12th, teachers at Preston Albury High

School continued their industrial action of ‘sitting in’. A sizeable number of students were in attendance, confirmed the principal, however, parents had kept some students home - rather than having them sitting unattended in classrooms.

Administration at PHAHS on Thursday morning participated in an online zoom meeting with Ministry of Education (MOE) officials and school parents to update them on the situation and the steps being taken by the MOE to bring resolution to the industrial action and issues of concern at the school.

Principal at Preston H. Albury High School, Sharon Scott, expressed that a number of teachers verbally made known their intention to no longer act as substitutes for classes that were without teachers at the school on their return, as the school term ended in December. “I was hoping that last week [on their return], they would have gone back to the classroom.”

Since school opened, said principal Scott, she had been in contact with the district office and MOE headquarters to see how best to rectify the situation. A new English Language teacher, she confirmed was expected to arrive at PHAHS during the week of January 16th.

“There are some other issues that were added to the mix. As with most other schools, we do have some discipline issues, and you know that discipline is not just an administrative task - it is all inclusive,” said principal Scott. “In total we have 21 teachers, a guidance counsellor and myself along with acting vice principal, Ms. Butler.”

Sharing her desire for the earliest resolution, principal Scott said, “Hopefully, I’m praying that next week everything is back to normal, and our children can get back to learning.”

Four teachers at PHAHS were said to have returned to classes on Thursday. The remaining teachers on staff continued the ‘sit in’ action on Friday, January 13th.

On Monday morning, January 16th, school officials at Preston Albury High, along with members of the school’s PTA (Parent Teachers Association) once again met with teachers. According to school officials, this final meeting was a success, resulting in an end to the two-week stand-off , and teachers at the school returning to their classrooms on Tuesday morning, January 17th, 2023.