Minister of Education Alden McLaughlin castigated the leadership of the Department of Education at the Cabinet press briefing Friday, saying there were ‘humungous’ problems at every level.
‘I’m not going to sit here and tell you all is fine because all is not fine,’ he said.
The comments came after George Hicks High School was unable to open on schedule on Friday, which came on the heels of delays in openings at several primary schools last week.
‘I can’t tell you how upset I am, particularly with the situation at George Hicks,’ Mr. McLaughlin said. ‘I had been given assurances time and again that (the opening) was on track.
‘It was not a question about there not being sufficient resources to get the job done; it was a management problem why it didn’t get done.’
Mr. McLaughlin said the only thing that prevented George Hicks from opening on time was the fact that furniture in four containers had not been unloaded and set up in classrooms.
‘I accept full responsibility for what happened and what has not happened,’ the Minister said. ‘But I’m going to do something about it. There’s going to be some screaming and those who will cry foul, but I’m going to do something about it.’
The problem, Mr. McLaughlin said, lies with the leadership of the Department of Education.
‘The most fundamental problem with the education system in this country is at the administrative level,’ he said. ‘Unless there are fundamental changes, all the other efforts we’re making… are going to be for naught. I will not sit idly by and allow all these efforts to be undermined.
Mr. McLaughlin said the education service did have some good people in it, but that there were ‘serious problems’ at the leadership level.
One of those problems is that people cannot make decisions, Mr. McLaughlin said.
‘They either ignore (situations that require decisions) or find a way to defer it until it reaches crisis levels.’
On many occasions, Mr. McLaughlin said he had to deal with administrative issues himself.
‘The ministry is incapable of dealing with (all the problems),’ he said. ‘We don’t have the staff to do it, and we shouldn’t have to do it – it’s the Education Department’s responsibility.
‘Why should the minister have to make calls to get things done? Why does the minister have to check up on why there are squatters in George Town Primary School when they were already removed?’
The minister said he intended to change things.
‘I am not going to cover up for people,’ he said. ‘I want to make a strong statement that I will do something about (the problems).’
Mr. McLaughlin acknowledged that he could not dismiss those not doing their jobs adequately.
However, he explained that under the current accrual finance system, the minister pays the Department of Education based on outputs.
‘They don’t get paid unless I sign the invoices,’ he said. ‘No minister has not signed (an invoice), but I’m prepared not to sign it.
‘I’m not going to stand for this level of incompetence in my ministry. They’re going to shape up or ship out.’
Mr. McLaughlin said he was willing to take whatever political flak that came with his stance.
‘It goes with the job,’ he said.
Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts said the Cabinet backed Mr. McLaughlin’s decisions.
‘All of you will remember the commitment we made to education in our campaign, in our manifesto, and post-election. That commitment has not waned.
‘The Cabinet, as a group, is in full support of the minister.’
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