The Tribune

CRITICISM of the educational system in this country is never-ending. There is a widespread view that it does not work effectively to deliver the standards expected of it by the public, with observers citing as evidence low average test scores for the annual Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education examinations. Some contend that this assessment is confirmed by local employers who may have found it hard to recruit suitably qualified workers amongst the large numbers of young people who come on to the jobs market every year.

There is some doubt, however, about using such a measure to determine overall educational standards and to reach conclusions about our educational system, not least because the Ministry of Education has an obligation to provide education to all residents between the ages of five and 16. This means that schools in the public sector must accept all concerned irrespective of origin, language capability or intelligence level and all are compelled to sit examinations. Such requirements, added to the lack of performance of disruptive pupils unwilling to learn, inevitably affect the resulting figures which often compare poorly with those of private schools which can be selective and tend to perform better. So, an overall BGCSE score, while being clearly relevant, may not necessarily be a useful tool in determining the effectiveness of academic achievement in government schools.

It is generally accepted that there is a demonstrable link between education, training and knowledge and a country’s economic performance and that what is termed human capital contributes significantly to achieving growth. This applies not only to the basic skills of language and counting but also to acceptable levels of literacy and numeracy, together with the potential for more specialised skills and learning sought by employers.

In The Bahamas, where government schools are spread over 22 islands in a 400-mile long archipelago, it is a challenge to provide teaching at pre-school, primary and secondary levels for, in some cases, just a few pupils in certain islands as well as much higher numbers in, for example, the heavily populated New Providence.

From what we have heard and from our own recent experience, the Ministry of Education is delivering well in many instances in relation to its mission statement to provide opportunities to all pupils to receive education and training that will equip them for the demands they will face in their adult lives. The Ministry is responsible for all public institutions offering education services including the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute and there is currently an emphasis on preparing students for further education in technical, as well as more academic, subjects.

We know of numbers of dedicated, well trained and responsible teachers who are providing high quality instruction with a commitment to their pupils that includes help with afterhours learning and involvement in extracurricular activities. As part of their professional development, they are also required continually to upgrade their teaching skills.

In a well-ordered society, education should also be a matter for parents and other family members who can provide help and guidance to children. We are confident that society as a whole believes in the importance of education. But, sadly, in today’s conditions of a lack of personal responsibility and commitment, such support is missing in too many cases.

For some school children from poor backgrounds in areas over-the-hill, who live in an environment that is hardly conducive to study and learning, it may be difficult even to attend school regularly (and be dressed in the required uniform) let alone to have done the previous evening’s homework. But there is often evident pride in overcoming those challenges and simply getting to classes – and one has only to look at the hundreds of youngsters emerging from schools in their smart uniforms at the end of their day to know that that is the case.

It is heartening to discover the Ministry’s new goal of increasing the graduation rate in government schools from 50 per cent to 80 per cent by 2030. The current rate appears to be low, but that is hardly surprising given the extent of illiteracy amongst young people. This is a major problem and should be addressed as a matter of urgency, as should the widespread adult illiteracy in this country.

Given the pressure on government spending, the money available for new initiatives to help meet the Ministry of Education’s objectives may well be limited. So we hope it will seek to develop more partnerships with the private sector. One example that has come to our notice is the annual essay competition that has become a national event organised by the Ministry in collaboration with the think tank, The Nassau Institute. We hope that other similar projects can also be developed.

Meanwhile, literacy and numeracy can be attained by those willing and able to commit themselves to study and learning. To acquire information through reading is essential for anyone to prosper in today’s world – and it enables people both to fulfil themselves at a personal level and to contribute to society.