We are not sure exactly what this means, since the old system of passing and failing grades was replaced a decade ago with a graduated system. This occurred when the broader-based BGCSE exam replaced the inherited General Certificate of Education set by the University of Cambridge in England.
But, as with the old GCE 'O' level (which was phased out in England in 1988), five BGCSE grades of A to C are considered the minimum standard for college admission.
The main achievement of our education system seems to be that more children are in school for longer periods οΎ– in other words, there is greater access to education. According to Education Director Iris Pinder, the number of Bahamian students leaving high school with marketable skills is "steadily increasing." But from conversations we have had with leading educators, the results reported last week have been "fairly consistent" over the past several years, with marginal increases and decreases in different areas.
The last time we took a close look at our education policy was in the early 1990s when the BGCSE was being implemented as part of a national education plan. Prior to that, there was a 1973 government White Paper on education policy.
Currently, our school system is somewhat of a hybrid between the British and American systems, with about 40 per cent of students accommodated in private schools that generally produce better results than the state system. And teachers tell us there have been frequent policy flip flops over the years that have wasted precious resources and slowed progress.
Perhaps it is time for critical re-examination of our education system along the lines of the 1973 White Paper. There certainly seems to be agreement that education must be a priority if we are to compete in a globalized economy. If so, then we should now set about building a national consensus to depoliticise education and establish an appropriate direction in terms of people and resources. We need talented and concerned people to come together and draft a road map for the future.
We also support calls from the education community for some kind of genuine accreditation process for schools at all levels. In Britain the Ministry of Education operates an inspectorate that audits the quality of teaching and learning in the school system. In the United States there are a variety of independent accrediting councils which set and monitor standards.
In The Bahamas, we are not aware of any publicly available set of educational standards and guidelines that must be met by public or private schools. This deficiency is probably of most concern in the case of pre-schools, where almost anyone can set up shop to take care of highly vulnerable infants and toddlers. Certification that requires our education system to meet real-world standards and criteria would also enable us to target weak schools and subject areas and measure the effectiveness of what we do in education.
One thing is certain. We need to improve our grade if The Bahamas is to maintain its self-image of being a modern society.
Editorial, The Nassau Guardian
