At the opening service of the 103rd Anglican Synod at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Nassau last night, the Archbishop renewed calls for the government to take serious action to address the situation particularly as global trade arrangements like the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) loom.
The Anglican Primate mapped out his recommendations for the way ahead in education for The Bahamas.
He said that a good education system requires greater participation from parents and guardians of the nation’s children.
“There must be a national drive to make parents and guardians more aware of their role and responsibility in the educational development of the children of our nation,” Archbishop Gomez said.
He renewed a call for the government to convene a National Round Table on education and to appoint a Standing Commission on Education to have the responsibility of “overseeing all matters related to education in the country.”
The Archbishop also called upon the government to become more serious about education and examine the current investment it has made into the public and private systems.
“I urge the government to fulfill the earlier promise made to the nation to provide funds to cover the salaries of all duly certified teachers in the system,” he said.
Archbishop Gomez also recommended that the ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries, and Trade and Industry be mandated to establish programmes for students to apprentice and to gain “hands on” experience in farming and food production.
“The ministries can set up do-ops for the students and set quality standards, so that they can begin production while in school,” he said. “This can become integrated with Business Studies.”
He also added that the programme can be accomplished with the development of industries on the Family Islands.
The Archbishop also recommended that the Ministry of Education implement a National Examination to evaluate students’ aptitude that will give an accurate result or indicator for the student who falls into the category of academic or technical/vocational, which should be administered upon entering Grade 7 or Junior High School.
The Archbishop’s final recommendation on education reform focused on the development of additional study programmes for students who fail examinations like the B. J .C. at the Junior High Level, “in order to assist the student with gaining the tools necessary to matriculate to senior high school.”
Archbishop Gomez also reported to the local Anglican Communion the outcome of last week’s special Lambeth Conference in London on the issue of homosexuality and the ordination of a gay bishop in the United States of America.
The Archbishop said that the newly appointed commission is expected to report within 12 months and that the Primates will receive the report and make recommendations to their respective provinces.
He added that the Primates reaffirmed their commitment to the 1998 Lambeth Conference Resolution on Human Sexuality, which declared that inter alia, homosexual practice was incompatible with Holy Scripture and prohibited same sex blessings.
They also reaffirmed the centrality and authority of the Bible for Anglican life and witness.
On the issue of the Episcopal Church in America, Archbishop Gomez said the Primates declared that should it proceed with the consecration of Canon Gene Robinson as Bishop, his ministry will not be recognized by most of the provinces in the Communion, placing the future of the Anglican Communion in jeopardy.
By Julian Reid, The Bahama Journal
