EDITOR, The Tribune.

THE people of North Cat Island are being victimised and neglected by the Ministry of Education, we feel, because we fought for our schools to remain open as is in the best interest of our children and our communities.

The Ministry of Education and the powers that be are refusing to send needed teachers for the Arthur’s Town High and Orange Creek Primary schools. They are intentionally depriving our children in these schools of a quality education. How is it that not one teacher, a total of five, that was transferred or retired from these schools has been replaced? How is this fair? Why does this not disturb the Minister of Education, or the Deputy in charge of teachers and school management?

Letters in regard to these shortages were written to the Director of Education Mr Marcellus Taylor to the advertisement of Minister of Education, the Honourable Jeffrey Lloyd since September 17th, 2018. Minister Lloyd posed the question of how many students attend the schools. Are we to understand that the Ministry’s decision to not send the teachers needed for the schools is based on the fact that the Ministry has determined Cat Island students do not have the right to same education as the entire Commonwealth of the Bahamas because the numbers do not meet the Ministry’s standards?

Director Marcellus Taylor said that we parents must “Be assured that the Department of Education wishes to ensure that all students in the commonwealth of The Bahamas, including those in Cat Island, are afforded the best education we can provide.” How is it that the Ministry’s best for Arthur’s Town High and Orange Creek Primary is to not get the necessary teachers to benefit the students? How is the mission of the Ministry and the Department of Education being accomplished in this?

We, the parents, do not accept this, it is unreasonable and unfair. Our children have a right to sufficient teachers, a right to equal opportunities, and a right to quality education!

The mission of the Ministry/Department of Education is to provide opportunities for ALL persons in the Bahamas to receive the education and training that will equip them with the necessary beliefs, attitudes, knowledge and skills required for work and life in an interdependent, ever changing world. However, not all schools, particularly in our Family Islands, are given these opportunities, a problem that has been ongoing for decades! It is a sad reality that the Ministry of Education, and equally the government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, does not care about the family islands. Why? We will never know it seems we forget that “The Bahamas” extends beyond the borders of New Providence.

HELP CAT ISLAND

Cat Island,

Bahamas.

October 17, 2018.