Honoring veteran educator Zelma Dean

I was saddened to learn of the recent passing of veteran educator, Zelma Dean.

I knew her by reputation even before I came to meet her. Stern, dependable, reliable, honest and forthright are but a few of the adjectives that aptly describe this consummate servant of the Bahamas public service.

Among my early acts on becoming prime minister in 1992 was to cause Zelma Dean to be plucked from the government-operated school system where she was serving as principal at the Government High School and to have her appointed as director of education.

Mrs. Dean, a wife and mother with roots in Rum Cay, was not intimidated by the size of the undertaking nor of her unexpected promotion from high school administrator to education policy maven.

A mathematician, she applied the exacting and measured training of that field to all her endeavours. She was an enthusiastic educator with, I believe, an unmatched passion for improving literacy among Bahamians. It is no surprise then that the “Let’s Read Bahamas” Bahamas was one of her brainchildren.

No one was more disappointed than she that notwithstanding years of dedicated service by countless committed educators, too many of the products of the government-operated school system were far below the standards of what was expected and required in a small, developing country.

She firmly believed that change was required to address the many shortcomings in education. And, she was committed to introducing change unintimidated by the fear of failure.

Her influence was, if only tangentially, associated with many of the plans and programs set in motion throughout the 1990s to improve academic achievement.

Among such initiatives were those creating an education program for single student mothers and another for troubled male students. She was instrumental to programs to increase the number of teachers in the system, to improve and increase tuition materials available to students and to the continuous reform of the school curriculum including technical education to better prepare students for productive lives.

Still others involved increasing the number of classrooms and expanding the footprint of the education system so as to reduce class sizes through an energetic school construction program in New Providence and around the Family Islands.

Her ideas also shaped the plan for the amalgamation of schools in New Providence and in Family Islands where small student bodies meant that specialists teachers were seldom available.

Also, the expansion of pre-schools in the government-school system was recommended by her. Several of these would occupy structures left vacant as a result of the amalgamation program.

Mrs. Dean taught in and led a number of schools before taking up her assignment at the Ministry of Education.

She has left a sterling record in education where she was widely appreciated. She commanded the respect of colleagues and students alike.

Among their warm memories of their wife, mother, aunt and friend, her survivors can be justifiably proud of that legacy and of the knowledge that she will long be remembered by her many students, colleagues and Bahamians of all walks of life.

I and my wife Delores extend deepest sympathy to Zelma’s husband Audley, to her children Brent, Bianca and Brigitte, her grandchildren and to all her extended family.

— Hubert Ingraham

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