And while the current minister of education discussed the reopening of schools, the former minister spoke about the shift in the education system. We asked Patrick Faber his views on standardized testing since COVID has changed norm when it came to exams such as the PSE.
Another former Minister of Education, Cordel Hyde says he suppers getting rid of the PSE, and Faber said he feels the same way:
Hon. Patrick Faber, Leader of the Opposition
"While I have my own concerns about the education system and where covid has taken us, I think the Ministry of Education has drop the ball in terms of keeping our students in tune and on target over the last couple of months. But that's on a side. I think this is an opportune time, having led the ministry for so long I can tell you that change is often very difficult to make. We all recognize what needs to be done, but it is very difficult to have all the stakeholders participate in making that change. Covid19 presents an environment where this is now right for doing that change. Our children did not take PSE this year. I don't think they took it last year either, or maybe they took one part if I remember correctly in 2020, but so that now puts us in a position to say you know what all those who were advocating to keep the exam - listen, the exam hasn't happen for 2 years, so it is now an environment for change and all those who were looking at it for something outdated - the other aspect is that our people might more appreciative of the need new innovative ways, especially technology to get our children's education on track."
"While I think the Ministry of Education drop the ball in continuing what the UDP administration was trying to do with our tablets in the schools and so on, I've not heard much of any of that progressing and that is clearly in their hands. There was to be free electronic text books instructions over these devices. The ball has been dropped completely with that, but nonetheless, the entire mindset of Belizeans and also the wider world are now in the direction of having to move with technology. So whenever we get over the hump, if we ever get over it in terms of covid, there'd be more open minds to these new innovative ways of learning and checking the progress of our children and so I think that this is a good time to try to make that leap, that change I will certainly agree is desperately needed."
