Jeff Lloyd, Minister of Education. Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff
By MORGAN ADDERLEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
madderley@tribunemedia.net
EDUCATION Minister Jeff Lloyd, in a speech on Friday, reiterated that full-time enrolment in the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute will be free this September.
Mr Lloyd announced this initiative on Thursday during his speech to Parliament. The next morning, he again spoke on the matter while delivering the address at the Bahamas High School Diploma Commencement Ceremony.
The service was for the Southern New Providence Secondary School District.
During his address, the Education Minister reminded the new graduates of Anatol Rodgers, C V Bethel, R M Bailey and Government High Schools of the opportunities they have for post-secondary education and training.
“To the graduates. For you there is no excuse,” Mr Lloyd said.
He added that students who get five BGCSEs, including English and Math, are “automatically qualified to the University of the Bahamas”, and can receive bursary scholarships.
“You’re going to UB almost free. Almost,” he said.
“For you who are interested in full time enrolment at Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) , your enrolment is free in September. BTVI. So you have no excuse. None.”
In his written message published in the commencement programme, Mr Lloyd congratulated the graduates and also reminded them of “major expectations for [their] success.
“You are expected to: fill your role as Nation Builders; use your God-given abilities to build your community and the world; be law-abiding and patriotic citizens; and let the world see the manner of your bearing.”
According to the history of the Bahamas High School Diploma (BSHD) published in the programme, the initiative was first conceived in 1998, during the tenure of then Minister of Education, Dame Ivy Dumont.
"Its fundamental objective being to ensure that students, across the length and breadth of the Bahamas, graduate high school having satisfied consistent, minimum standards of achievement,” it reads.
In 2014, the diploma was “given its birth” under Minister Jerome Fitzgerald, and in 2017 it was presented by Mr LLoyd.
Comments
Clamshell 5 years, 10 months ago
Maybe their students will learn how to spell “enrollment”.
cx 5 years, 10 months ago
Title is spelt right its the British version
sheeprunner12 5 years, 10 months ago
What is the rule for Btvi, though???????? Should it not be B.T.V.I.??????
LOL
sheeprunner12 5 years, 10 months ago
Will free BTVI education lead to the same results as public school "free education"?????
Bahamians do not appreciate anything that they receive "free" from the Government ........ that is why Lloyd cannot collect the ELA $100million+ now from the private school parents and other fatcats who send their children to the USA, Canada and the UK at our expense and never repay the loans ......... and their children never return after getting their degrees.
Millennial242 5 years, 10 months ago
Well this isn't true. Quite a few of us did return...i'm one of them (and I know of many others). And I sure did get tracked down to start making payments, while I contributed my talents back to the Bahamas. So the system didn't completely fail. Not perfect...but didn't completely fail.
AM3194 5 years, 8 months ago
Also, keep in mind that these students that we urge to return have nothing to return to. What's the point of coming back if there's no job in the field you spent 4+ years studying?
sheeprunner12 5 years, 10 months ago
According to the history of the Bahamas High School Diploma (BSHD) published in the programme, the initiative was first conceived in 1998, during the tenure of then Minister of Education, Dame Ivy Dumont.
But Dame Ivy would have been more astute and focused at developing the educational system if she had remained beyond her tenure .......... Unfortunately the succeeding Ministers have failed to build on her plans.
JF decided to put on the makeup without taking a bath .......... hence the present debacle in dropouts, social promotion, discipline, skills deficits, national academic results and graduation rates in the public schools ...... Just look at any DOE Awards booklet and see who really benefits from the $300 million education Budget each year (private schools).
The Government subsidizes the private schools with about 10% of the Budget, but those schools account for over 80% of the DOE awards each year .............. Charter schools, anyone ??????? BTW - Do private schools really give out these Government diplomas????? ....... JOKES!!!!!
Greentea 5 years, 10 months ago
Sounds like Bahamian private schools are already in a financial sense Charter Schools.
170200 5 years, 10 months ago
It can only be good
bogart 5 years, 10 months ago
....of the 300 million dollars in education budget ...how many of the some 50,000 students .....in govt schools....are of foreign parents on professional work permits.....of illegal migrant parents ......stateless......is the MOE budget used for.....???
sheeprunner12 5 years, 10 months ago
75% of that budget is for "personal emoluments" ........ wages, allowances, rents, per diems etc. ......... Workers get their wages, but are the children getting any results?????
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