Wither Secondary Education After Fifty Years In Anguilla - Part 1

Let me preface this article with a quote from the GOVERNMENT OF ANGUILLA BUDGET ADDRESS, FOR 2003 – “ Education with its allocation of $13.28 million will account for the largest share of the Social Development budget at 42.22%. This figure is 14.2% of the proposed total of Recurrent Expenditures. This is as it should be, Mr. Speaker. We have invested heavily in capital and human resource improvement in Education over the years.

“It is imperative that we allocate sufficient resources, even in difficult times to sustain these improvements. The publicity which often times accompanies incidents of deviant behaviour among a small percentage of the student population at the Comprehensive Secondary School, distracts attention from the solid progress being made in the school system as a whole. Both in the public and private schools significant professional and managerial improvements will be reflected in enhanced student performance over the next few years.
“I am pleased to note that the strategic partnership between the Isle of Wight Education Authority and the Ministry and Department of Education in Anguilla, will be continued and broadened to include initiatives involving the Social Development Department. These initiatives will more effectively address some of the causes of the unsatisfactory performance of some students, which have their roots in the home and the wider community outside the school environment…
“The Government should have liked to have allocated a higher amount to finance the non-personal costs, but mindful of the need to rebalance to budget and achieve fiscal stabilization cannot afford more than the amount proposed. At the same time, Mr. Speaker, Education requires the firm and tangible support of all the other stakeholders to supplement the resources provided from the public purse. It is my hope and expectation, therefore, that our private sector and civil society partners both here and abroad, will continue their strong support for education in 2003, and if they have the wherewithal, increase that support for the benefit of our children.”
Bearing the above in mind, (a) I wish to applaud the Government, the Ministry of Education, as well as the Department of Education for pushing for this allocation. Let me remind the Minister of Finance that in advanced and progressive countries their Education Budget varies from 15-20% of their national budget, hence, Sir, you are very close to the norm and (b) I will to try to re-educate or rewind the public about the advent of Secondary Education on our beloved ROCK.
Some of us may be wondering why this article now. Well, it is a deliberate attempt to focus on the importance of the GOLDEN JUBILEE early in 2003, thus setting a pattern I hope, for what events are to come later in the year. I sincerely believe it is paramount to awaken the enthusiasm which should herald this suspicious occasion in Anguilla history, to awaken our knowledge of our past and to gear up for the planned activities which have been already published. It is our CELEBRATION OF SECONDARY EDUCATION IN ANGUILLA; let us prepare for it MENTALLY, SOOIALLY, PHYSICALLY, and last, but by no means least, SPIRITUALLY, thus giving it our ALL.
It is, I believe, a time to reflect on our past, and I would wish to do this by stating the circumstances under which pupils were able to enter the Secondary School, compared to the entry qualification of today. Prior to 1953, very few Anguillian parents were financially able to send their children to St. Kitts to attend the St. Kitts – Nevis Grammar School or the Basseterre Girls High School. In other words the majority of Anguillian students were deprived of a Secondary Education and by extension, University Education. It was during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s that a number of students of the primary schools in the Presidency of St. Kitts - Nevis( Anguilla), through what was known as Intending Teachers’ Scholarships, that saw a number of Anguillians gaining a number of these scholarships.
I do think that it would be requisite for me to name a number of these students, and please forgive me, if my ageing memory leaves out any others. - They are the Rev. Joseph Hennis, the Rev. Wilfred Hodge, Dr. Mac Milla Hodge, (who in 1953 won the Leeward Island Scholarship to the University College of the West Indies – as it was then known) Mrs. Violet Berry ( Nee Owen), Mrs. Dulcie Richardson (Nee Connor), the late Constantine Richardson, Mr. Joseph Hodge (nicknamed Structure) and myself. Ironically a number of the above taught at this institution in the early years. I was approached by the Education Officer in St. Kitts to teach at this school but my headmaster, Mr. James W. Sutton, informed the Department that he would prefer not to lose me at East End Primary.
The Valley Secondary School became a reality in 1953 through the instrumentality of the late David Sylvanus Lloyd, the then Representatives for Anguilla at the Central Government in Basseterre. I earnestly feel that the late David Sylvanus Lloyd was not given the recognition he so richly deserved in initiating secondary education in Anguilla. When the school opened its doors nearly fifty years ago, there were only TWO GRADUATE TEACHERS – the Principal Mr. Thom of Guyana and Mr. Desmond Broomes of Barbados. All other teachers were drawn from the primary schools, particularly those with a secondary education. The introduction of Secondary in Anguilla was the Modern Secondary type – Academic and Vocational Wings.
In order to gain entry to the academic section, pupils in ALL the primary schools had to write the COMMON ENTRANCE or ELEVEN PLUS EXAMINATION. This examination was very competitive as the number of places at the secondary school was limited. It was the cream of the crop that passed. I can recall that the results of entries from any particular primary schools determined, locally, the worth of the teachers and by extension the headteacher of that particular school.

This outside pressure, in most, if not all primary schools, created what was known as a SPECIAL CLASS where the brightest of the 10-11 plus pupils were selected to study specifically the subjects for the examination entrance. May I hasten to add here that the other subjects of the curriculum did not suffer, but received their fair share of the timetable allotment. We the teachers felt that a rounded education at primary level was an essential foundation for secondary education. The subject areas for the eleven plus examination were ENGLISH, MATHEMATICS and INTELLIGENCE TEST / GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.

I can recall that it was during the months of June and July when parents as well as pupils awaited with bated breath for the results. Sometimes I felt pity for some of the pupils who were unsuccessful. I could also empathise with certain parents who worked hard with their children to ensure that they were successful, but had failed. Teachers too, had their share of disappointments, but I think most of us overcame these frustrations and were more determined to ensure that those who were unsuccessful that year would with God’s help succeed the following year.

By: Vivien A. Vanterpool, B. PHIL, DAES, DES