Major Shake-up in Education Ministry Following Teacher Strike, PS Transferred

Published May 13, 2025, 10:01 AM

By Shermain Bique-Charles

Just a day after a weeklong industrial action by teachers concluded, the Ministry of Education has announced significant administrative changes aimed at addressing ongoing issues within the sector.

Former Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health, Mrs. Ena Dalso-Henry, has been appointed as the new Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Education, succeeding Mrs. Rosa Greenaway, who has been reassigned to the Ministry of Social Transformation.

The recent industrial action was sparked by concerns over outstanding allowances, which led the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers (ABUT) to instruct its members to refrain from actual teaching from May 2 to May 12.

During this period, teachers engaged in a “work to rule,” attending schools but not conducting any lessons.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne publicly addressed the situation, calling out the union leadership and emphasizing that the government had committed to settling all outstanding payments.

He clarified that the delays were primarily due to administrative challenges rather than a lack of intent to pay.

The Prime Minister and several members of the public have criticized education officials for their slow response and lack of communication with the ABUT.

Browne even suggested that personnel who cannot adequately fulfill their duties should be reassigned, leaving the possibility of further administrative changes open.

As the Ministry moves forward with these changes, the effectiveness of the new leadership and potential additional appointments will be closely monitored.

This story was first published by Antigua News on May 13, 2025 at 10:01 AM (Antigua time, UTC−4): antigua.news/2025/05/13/major-shake-up-in-education-ministry-following-teacher-strike-ps-transferred. © 2025 Antigua News. Republication without permission is not allowed.

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Shermain Bique-Charles

Shermain Bique-Charles is an accomplished journalist with over 24 years of dynamic experience in the industry. Renowned for her exceptional storytelling and investigative skills, she has garnered numerous awards that highlight her commitment to journalistic integrity and excellence. Her work not only informs but also inspires, making her a respected voice in the field.

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Comments (21)

Juju Bee May 13, 2025, 10:05 AM

Damnnnn that’s what you call a SHAKE UP
Reply
- Reina May 13, 2025, 10:54 AM
  
  Let’s see if Ena will do a better job,a change was seriously needed
  Reply
Ann-Marie May 13, 2025, 10:09 AM

Change was long overdue. Let’s hope Mrs. Dalso-Henry brings the urgency and leadership we need in the education sector.
Reply
Rhea May 13, 2025, 10:10 AM

This administrative shakeup feels more like damage control than genuine reform. Moving one Permanent Secretary to another ministry without addressing the underlying bureaucratic inefficiencies won’t fix education. The government is reacting to public pressure rather than proactively managing the sector. If the Prime Minister is serious about accountability, we need a full audit of the Ministry’s operations and transparent timelines for resolving the teachers’ grievances.
Reply
- Donna May 13, 2025, 11:49 AM
  
  @Rhea, I would love to see the findings of that audit. I have never heard of auditing operations ever done for government departments/ministries in Antigua and Barbuda. All ever heard is financial auditing of government.
  Reply
- Bosslady May 13, 2025, 2:34 PM
  
  Agreed
  Reply
- Unruly One May 14, 2025, 7:46 AM
  
  Rhea you are spot in your assessment, our government is too reactive.
  Reply
Antigua Surf May 13, 2025, 10:12 AM

This reshuffle is clearly a political response to public outrage, not a long-term solution. The real issue is chronic underinvestment in education and weak internal systems not just who’s sitting in the Permanent Secretary’s chair.
Reply
Food4thought May 13, 2025, 10:12 AM

The Government in truth did a shake up!
Reply
- Bosslady May 13, 2025, 2:34 PM
  
  Agreed
  Reply
Maliaka May 13, 2025, 10:13 AM

WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Reply
Anonymous May 13, 2025, 10:15 AM

Good up to now they can’t pay me for my other 4 weeks after I wasn’t payed for 7 weeks,they have me going back and forth between them and Treasury until I just gave up.
Reply
- AAB May 13, 2025, 12:50 PM
  
  @Anonymous ….NEVER GIVE UP!!!! ……..Get Friends & Neighbours TO HELP YOU PICKET!!!!! A Person’s LABOUR Is The “sweat of Your Brow/face (by which) you will eat your bread, until you return to clay” — Genesis 3: Vs 19 — These words were used by God to Our FIRST PARENTS …….THIS Must Be Respected by ALL ….. …… Some Other Actions you can take could include the Following:
  ……Write (get Someone to help you) To the POWERS THAT BE: The CEO/ THE P S/ The MINISTER/ The PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION/ YOUR UNION REPRESENTATIVE ….
  ….. If you get No Response (Get Help to) Make THIS Fact Public; stating the NAMES, POSITIONS, Etc. of The Persons to whom you have written.
  …. Always hand deliver your letters to the Person to whom it is written……Just in case the Person may not be in Office when to take in the Letter, be prepared by having a pre-prepared sheet of paper for the Person receiving the letter on your behalf to sign stating time and date that letter was received. THIS is YOUR PROOF that Your Letter was delivered for the Person intended… Always FIGHT for What IS YOURS …..
  This is What Our CREATOR Designated. While Doing THIS We Need To OFFER Our EFFORTS to Regain That which has been TAKEN From Us UNFAIRLY To Our Creator God …. THIS Is God’s Design …. God WILL SEND HIS HOLY SPIRIT To Help Us to RETRIEVE That Which God Has DESIGNED To Be RIGHTFULLY Ours!!! NEVER GIVE UP …… Your LABOUR is Important To God … Even if your employer May Desire to “Fly in God’s Face” … as Our Elders remind Us …. Your Task is to honour God’s Command And DEMAND Your Just REWARD For THE SWEAT OF YOUR BROW/FACE! This is the Least You can Do ….. then Leave the REST (and the Persons involved) to The MERCY Of God!!
  Peace! 🌻😇🙏🏿💞🇦🇬
  Reply
Denden May 13, 2025, 10:29 AM

This is so disgusting!!!!
Has she the power to move the Treasury Dept to issue payments?
Well someone had to take “one for the team”
Reply
Candice May 13, 2025, 10:45 AM

It was about time for her to go,she always was a stuck up woman
Reply
Stone May 13, 2025, 11:05 AM

And as simple as that the problems faced by the ministry of education, including payments to teachers and others are solved. Hey hey hey.
Reply
Fedup nurse May 13, 2025, 11:12 AM

Glad she moved from health because she don’t love nurses and very vindictive and disrespectful. Hope the teachers put her in her place if she violate them.
Reply
Ben Simmons May 13, 2025, 5:55 PM

I met this woman once and my spirit never meshed with her. Very cold and unkind and had a bad attitide. I guess we are not the only on thinking this way.
Reply
Faithful national #1 May 13, 2025, 7:49 PM

This move is over ten years over-due! Guess she thought that family ties would keep her propped up in a position for which she was least suited. Hope that when she recovers from this wake-up reality check, she would recognize that her years of unmerited importance are at an end! Maybe now, the hundreds of legitimately owed public servants can agitate for money to which they are entitled by the Ministry of Education, and which this cold-fish nobody deliberately refused to process! Reshuffling her is not the solution.Retiring her in the public’s interest is!!
Reply
One of her staff May 14, 2025, 2:08 PM

It’s about time that Mrs. Rosa Greenaway was removed from her position as Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Education. After a weeklong industrial action by teachers, it has become painfully clear that her leadership was ineffective and out of touch with the needs of the education system. The sector has long been plagued by issues that she failed to address, highlighting a lack of vision and responsiveness on her part. Her reassignment to the Ministry of Social Transformation feels more like a way of shuffling her around rather than holding her accountable for her lack of progress in education. The sector deserves someone who can genuinely make a difference and not simply perpetuate the cycle of ineptitude. It’s time for fresh leadership that actually prioritizes the needs of teachers and students alike.
Reply
No comment May 16, 2025, 2:02 PM

Well I suppose she should have tried harder to ensure that workers were paid. Seven years is a long time to be waiting. Not too optimistic that much will change as the entire system probably needs some analysis and adjustments, but people in this society seem caught up in vengeance, spite, vindictiveness so not sure rational decisions will be made no matter who is in charge.
Reply

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Shermain Bique-Charles

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