The Barbados Union of Teachers is urging greater consultation and a more measured roll-out of the government’s proposed overhaul of student assessment and secondary school placement, warning that wide-ranging changes should not be introduced hastily while schools are already battling learning loss, staffing pressures and ongoing disruptions.

The union’s call comes a day ahead of the Ministry of Education Transformation’s Friday release of its “full approach and roadmap” on assessment and learning, secondary school placement, and the strengthening of schools.

In a statement released on Thursday, BUT said it supports the need for educational transformation and recognises the potential benefits of continuous assessment, project-based learning and other modern teaching approaches, but said successful reform depends on proper planning, preparation and involvement.