A large crowd, representing all cross-sections of the Anguillian public, took up every available space at the Teachers’ Resource Centre on Tuesday evening, for a national consultation on a far-reaching Education Bill 2010 which is to go before the House of Assembly for passage in due course.

L-R: Mrs. Rhonda Connor, Ms. Kellie Bailey, Mrs. Chanelle Petty-Barrett, Mr. Charles Connor and Hon. Edison Baird

The consultation, chaired by Charles Connor, Coordinator of Adult and Continuing Education, was addressed by Minister of Social Development, Hon. Edison Baird, who gave the opening and welcome remarks; Permanent Secretary, Education, Mrs. Chanelle Petty-Barrett, who presented an overview of the main provisions of the Bill; and Ms Kellie Bailey; from the Attorney General’s Chambers, who made a presentation on Corporal Punishment, one of the areas included in the draft legislation.
Mr. Baird said the Bill was sometime in the making and he was pleased to see the large turnout of persons to give their input. “We believe that public consultation on this Bill is important to be sure that you are not only aware of its contents, but you are given the opportunity to raise your concerns to have them addressed where appropriate,” [before the Bill reaches the House of Assembly]," the Minister told his listeners.

Cross section of the audience

He thought it would have been unfair for Government to take the Bill to the House without giving the people of the island an opportunity to express their views on its provisions. He said he had heard some members of the public complaining vociferously about certain parts of the Bill, and called on them to use the opportunity of the consultation to raise those concerns. He added that the aim was to have the legislation in operation by September this year.

Mrs. Chanelle Petty-Barrett, a lawyer by profession, said it was not possible to give a detailed explanation of the 195-section Bill, but nevertheless presented a very informative overview which covered the main areas of focus and public interest. She stated that the Bill was largely based on the OECS Model Education Act and that local personnel had been working on several drafts which were reviewed by her, Education Officers, Principals and representatives of the Anguilla Teachers’ Union. She said the Bill was finalised earlier this year and was submitted last month to Executive Council which approved it after making some amendments including abolishing corporal punishment. The Bill was then posted on the Government’s website, gazetted and was now followed by the public consultation.

Another section of the audience

Mrs. Petty-Barrett explained that the purpose of the Bill was to repeal and replace the current Education Act and to provide for the rights and responsibilities of parents and students and other matters related to the administration of education.

Among other matters, she said the Bill provided for the orderly and coordinated development of comprehensive education. She took the opportunity to give detailed explanations of many sections ofthe Bill and made reference to a number of provisions regarding the involvement of parents and their responsibilities as well as disciplinary matters with respect to students and the role of teachers.

Other sections of the public

Ms Bailey of the Attorney General’s Chambers dealt exclusively with corporal punishment which she noted had long been a part of the education system everywhere and that there were good arguments in support of it. She pointed out, however, that the law had changed under several international conventions, including the Rights of the Child, the European Convention on Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Anguilla Constitution and the Interpretive Case Law.

Ms Bailey said the Convention on the Rights of the Child was extended to Anguilla in 1994 and as such Anguilla was bound by the obligations. She pointed out, among other matters, that under the convention, various parties were required to take all appropriate legislative and administrative, social and educational measures to protect a child from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or other abuse… while in the care of parents, guardians or any other person who has care of the child.

Following her presentation, the floor was opened to the audience for a question and answer period to provide the necessary feedback on the Bill, to ensure it received the required comments, understanding and public support before its passage in the House of Assembly.

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