Success came early for a group of S.C. McPherson students who took four BJCs in the eighth grade and passed their exams with all mostly As and Bs They paid a courtesy call on Minister Bannister and education officials who congratulated them and presented with dictionaries to assist them in their studies.
Sixteen ninth graders made history in Bahamian education by being the first students from a public school in The Bahamas to enrol in Advanced Placement courses while in junior high school. The students achieved this milestone by successfully passing their Bahamas Junior Certificate exams in English Language, Mathematics, Health Science and Religious Knowledge in eighth grade. This has set them on a course to study for their Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Examinations (BGCSEs) in the ninth grade.
Minister of Education, The Honourable T. Desmond Bannister pledged to the students during a courtesy call at the Ministry on Thursday, 18th November, 2010 that if they continued on their current path and passed the requisite BGCSEs, he guaranteed that they would receive a scholarship to attend the College of The Bahamas upon graduating from high school.
Minister Bannister also told the students that their accomplishments would not have been possible were not for their dedicated and committed teachers. Minister Bannister further stated that, “Everything in our schools starts and ends with dedicated teachers and you have been fortunate and blessed with dedicated and committed teachers.”
He admonished the students to thank their teachers for the role in this national achievement. Mrs. Antoinette Farquarhson, Principal of S. C. McPherson explained that the students had to meet a certain criteria to be eligible for entry into the programme. They had to achieve an A in the respective subjects that they were sitting, be on the Honour Roll with a 3.00 or above grade point average and be focused and serious in their studies, as well as have parental support.
The programme also required the students to enrol in morning, lunchtime and afternoon classes. The students’ hard work paid off as they achieved 99 per cent passes inclusive of A’s in English Lang Mathematics, Health and Religious Studies. Having completed their ninth grade requirements for these subjects, the students and the school are working with the principal and teachers at C. V. Bethel Senior High School to do their 10th grade course work in these areas.
Minister Bannister noted that the students have an opportunity to make history once again if they successfully complete their studies and sit their BGCSEs in the 10th grade; they can then use their remaining two years in high school doing Advanced Placement college work. He told the students that the Ministry will appoint an officer to monitor their progress to see how many of them will achieve further success. The Minister encouraged them to remain focused and not allow their peers to deter them from goals.
Also congratulating the students and their teachers were Mrs. Elma Garraway, Permanent Secretary and Mr. Lionel Sands, Director of Education. Mrs. Garraway challenged the students to set their sight on being an All Bahamas Merit Scholar or a National Scholar. She reminded them that the only student from a public school Andrea Culmer from Eleuthera has ever won the award in the twenty-two year existence of the programme.
Mrs. Garraway further encouraged them to consider being teachers, administrators, District Superintendents, Director of Education and even the Minister of Education. Director Sands stated that the students’ achievements speak volumes of what students in the public school can do. Mr. Sands reminded the students that if they succeed The Bahamas succeeds and likewise if they should fail, the country fails.
Minister Bannister presented the nine females and six male outstanding students with dictionaries to assist them in their studies.
The outstanding students were:
Brunique Bowe – 4 a’s
Sheldon Clarke – 2 a’s, 2 b’s
Trey Curling – 3 b’s, 1 c
Krista Deleveaux – 2 a’s, 2 b’s
Ryanne Ferguson – 1 a 2 b’s (only sat three)
Tanesha Forbes – 2 a’s, 2 bs
Braxton Gardiner – 1 a, 3 b’s
Kissie Major – 2 a’s, 2 b’s
Tyneisa Milfort – 1 a, 2 b’s, 1’c
Imani Palmer – 3 a’s, 1’b
Stanley Phliford – 2 a’s, 2 b’s
Whitney Rolle – 2 a’s, 2 b’s
Tanisha Smith – 3 b’s, 1 a
Sherman Smith – 4 a’s
Stanley Vanzeylen – 2 a’s, 2 b’s
Neisha Williams – 2 a’s, 1’b, 1’c
Source: Ministry of Education
