Education minister outlines arrangements for GSS and DGS students in new year

Education Minister Octavia Alfred

Education Minister Octavia Alfred affirmed that her ministry continues to work on alternative arrangements to accommodate students of both the Dominica Grammar School (DGS) and the Goodwill Secondary School (GSS). The DGS has been housing both sets of students since the GSS campus is under complete overhaul.

An earlier announcement from the ministry stated that to expedite the completion of work at the DGS site, students of GSS will be relocated to Newtown Primary School for the next school term starting in January 2025.

“Work is progressing well at the new Dominica Grammar School, but for work to continue at a reasonable pace, the Ministry of Education is to make alternative arrangements for students of the Dominica Grammar School and the Goodwill Secondary School,” she said. “This has been a long, difficult process as there is no building to which we can just move our students.”

According to her, the contractors tried to accommodate the Ministry of Education in September, however, the nature of the work for this phase cannot be undertaken due to the use of heavy machinery and equipment.

“In addition, the areas occupied for the entire DGS in the morning, Goodwill Secondary School in the afternoon, which means that even if the contractor would alter their work plan to do certain things in the afternoon, it’s not workable,” Alfred explained.

Furthermore, she stated that a decision had been made to have students work online through the Google platform in November of 2024.

“While the Ministry of Health embraces online learning and Dominica has done quite well in this area, the Ministry of Education believes it’s time for our students to go back to face-to-face instructions,” Alfred noted. “So, after much planning and consultation, we have reached an arrangement that will ensure that teaching and learning will continue for students of the Dominica Grammar School and the Goodwill Secondary School in spaces conducive for teaching and learning.”

Meanwhile, she said students of the GSS will be relocated to Newtown Primary School in the new school term and will operate on a shift system.

“To us, this was a major undertaking which included several stakeholders and consultations,” she stated. “These are large schools [and] the fact that they are secondary schools makes the operation more complicated.”

Alfred pointed out that the Ministry of Education has made arrangements as much as they can, “and we do not expect things to run with no bumps in week one.” However, she indicated that the level of engagement her ministry has had with teachers, parents and other sectors of government ensures that students will settle down well by the end of week two.

Alfred also mentioned that the Alliance Francaise building in Bath Estate which was already being used by the 5th Form students of the GSS in the morning will continue to be available for use by them. She added that transportation arrangements are in place.

“We noticed that we have about 90 students who are not part of the transportation program that the government is offering, so these students and their teachers will assemble in the forecourt of the stadium and they will be transported to Newtown and at the end of their shift they will be transported back to Roseau.”

Alfred went on to state that 4th and 5th form students of the DGS will operate at the corehouses at the school which are not being directly impacted by ongoing work.

“The contractor has also agreed to alter work plans to engage in work that does not generate noise and dust during the morning sessions,” she revealed. “Forms 1 to 3 of the GSS will operate on a shift system with Roseau Primary and Petite Savanne Primary.”

She continued, “We also had to make some transportation arrangements for these students, because our program took them to school in the morning, now we have to make arrangements for them to be taken in the afternoon.”

Alfred added, “Both school management teams will give their schools directives on how the term will begin since there is the need to do some orientation with staff and students. We have logistics in place for curriculum, transportation, and other programs that the schools are involved in. We have to make arrangements for students who do skills, especially those who are engaged in completing their SBAs.”

She stated, for example, the GSS will do their crop production at the Botanic Gardens.

 

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3 Comments

  1. Ibo France
    January 5, 2025

    Education is just one of the few things that touches the future of individuals and nations. Therefore, it must be given the priority and seriousness it deserves.

    Any government which allows the education or schooling of our children to fall in such a sorry state of disrepair is unfit to govern. An in segment in knowledge pays the best interest.

    Dominica is languishing in the cellar position economically and infrastructurally in the Caribbean with the exception of Haiti. Our collective brain power can propel us out of this unenviable position.

    The Roosevelt-led dictatorship has totally mismanaged all important sectors o government (agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, national security, parliament, middle class, e!
    electricity, water, food security). How can any sensible elector vote to keep this rogue, non-performing gluttons in office.

  2. Ibo France
    January 4, 2025

    Dominica is replete with systemic failures:
    *education system – F
    *health-care system – F
    *judicial system – F
    *utilities system – F
    *security system – F
    *electoral system – F
    * economic system – F
    *System of Corruption – A±±±

  3. Ibo France
    January 4, 2025

    Two of the most important ministries in any government are HEALTH and EDUCATION both of which are in a chaotic, appalling state. This is empirical evidence that the Roosevelt-led autocracy is nothing but a colossal failure. They are expertly good at ‘tiefing’ elections but they CANNOT govern.

    Reading the statements by the Minister of Education only proves how I’ll team upper and unfit the lady is for such an important portfolio.

    There is no doubt that the students concerned will be severely affected. This is inexcusable. This is a direct result of the human disaster that we call a government. UNACCEPTABLE!

    In this government, incompetence is prized and mediocrity is rewarded.

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