Hitting A Nerve
Fellow blogger and Royal Gazette columnist Christian Dunleavy clearly hit a nerve with his recent column, which called for a public inquiry into why only 53% of students graduate from the Island’s public schools. In a grumpy letter to the editor last week, Education Minister Terry Lister accused him of intellectual dishonesty, negating the efforts of teachers and insulting parents.
What he didn’t do was give any indication that he thought the 53% graduation rate was unacceptable. That is troubling. Before you can begin to address a problem, you have to acknowledge that the problem exists.
It’s unreasonable to expect the public schools to have the same levels of graduation as the private ones. Private schools can choose who they accept; the public schools must take everyone. Given that, it’s difficult to say what would be an acceptable graduation rate. But surely even Mr. Lister must agree that 53% is too low?
In an amusing twist, Mr. Lister’s own confidence in the public school system was questioned by a letter to the editor in Saturday’s Royal Gazette, which pointed out that he sent his own son first to the private Warwick Academy and then to an exclusive private boarding school in the US. Actions, as they say, speak louder than words.
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So glad to see this topic up here, I've been waiting since Mr. Lister's original letter to the editor to speak on the subject. I'm a huge proponent that a good deal of Bermuda's current problems are the result of a poor education system, coupled with a lack of discipline enforced in the home. That almost half of every student that steps through the public schools doors fails is certainly indication enough that something is seriously wrong. But not so says Mr. Lister.
Look at the scholarship winners he says. Okay, lets be generous, there are about 25/30 of them (I believe, feel free to correct me). What fraction of the student body is that?
He says look at the socioeconomic conditions of students coming in. The old GIGO arguement. One would hope if there were anywhere that could help to turn around this downward spiral, it would be in the schools.
And then he has the nerve to attack Mr. Dunleavy, who indeed did go to private school. And so what exactly? He therefore has no idea what a 53% pass rate means? Or he has no right to comment on the public system at all, given his private education? Please Mr. Lister, listen to yourself.
And this brings me to what angered me most about the letter. Its exactly what I expected the response to be. It seems everytime a PLP MP is questioned about their responsibilities, they reply not with recoginition of the faults, an apology for mistakes, and a goal to move forward. No they get defensive. The fail to acknowledge anything is wrong. They usually attack the person who questioned them in the first place. How is government supposed to learn and move forward if any criticism of their blatant mistakes is met with resentment and most importantly inaction?
The answer is that they cannot.
Posted by Lost in Flatts on 08.08.05 at 08:24
Only 53% of public school students graduate? (And I understand this is a big increase from the previous year). That is a shocking loss; 47% failed. Moreover, how many of the 53% who did graduate are actually equipped for college? With so many failing, chances are that 53% figure holds many who passed at low levels. Dunleavy is right on. That such a colossal problem has not been seriously addressed can certainly be described as “disarray” to say the least. The bottom line is that these kids are missing out on choices in their lives, and the society is experiencing negative ongoing repercussions.
Neville Darrell writes that “a little over $16,000” is spent on each student in the public system. That is extremely high. Let's see some analysis from Lister on how this money is being spent and how it might be re-directed more effectively. Darrell is right about the need for teacher certification and licensing. Why hasn’t the PLP fulfilled this commitment? And comprehensive testing is important to evaluate school performance and student needs. Darrell raises many good points, and I look forward to his next article.
Lister’s response is appalling, defensive, and partisan. He accuses Dunleavy of an “abysmal ability to think things through fairly and sensibly,” as if special skills are needed to see that a mere 53% high school graduation rate is an incredible problem! Lister’s rant is embarrassing to read—for Lister. No one is saying that there aren’t some scholarship students who have succeeded, just that the overall graduation rate is shockingly poor.
I’ve got news for Lister, I’ve seen schools that take the toughest inner-city school populations, incredibly diverse in background and need, and send 95% of them on to college. I’ve also seen programs that support and teach children after school and on weekends and get them on track. That adds to the cost, but it works, and one would hope such learning could happen in schools instead. As far as the Bermuda failures go, these kids are getting buried alive insofar as their futures are concerned.
Lister is effectively telling us that almost half the kids don’t graduate because they reflect “many of the social issues that Bermuda itself experiences.” So? Do something about it. This isn't something new, is it?
And if he wants Bermudians to step up to the plate, why doesn’t he organize ways for volunteers to offer “tangible assistance”?
Posted by Raptor on 08.08.05 at 09:43
Mr. Lister's response was woeful and, unfortunately, all too familiar. If his child does not go to public school then that tells you what he thinks of it.
It is no different from when the UBP stalwarts were promoting Cedarbridge but sending their own kids to Saltus or overseas. The same foolishness continues. They should just admit, "We have a serious problem with our public education." This was started by the UBP and has continued with the PLP. It is appalling. We boast that we have a sophisticated society and that we are the mecca for reinsurance. Meanwhile, our national treasures, our own children, are being sacrificed while we broadcast to the world how great we are. Do people realise that public education in some Third World nations is better than what we have in Bermuda? Do people realise that right now some parents are actually sending their kids overseas to other Third World countries to get a Better education? FACT.
It is also a shame he lets someone like Dunleavy get under his skin. David Ezekiel, can get up and speak volumes about what he thinks is best for Bermuda and no-one in governemnt relies to this man (with his tupee). This man and his organisation ABIC have become the self-appointed mouth-peice of international business and government are like they are afraid to offer any retort to his shallow rhetoric. But a little blogger like Limey or Dunleavy can get the attention of the Minister and even the Premier. Talk about insecure.
It's a shame they don't know where the real battle is.
Posted by Onion on 08.08.05 at 10:01
Lost in Flatts - you took the words right out of my mouth. Oddly enough I was just thinking about this over the weekend. This gets me pretty steamed actually. What's essentially happening is that the kids are loosing the basic life skill tools they will need to get ahead in life. We are putting them behind the 8 ball before the game is even started, which is completely unfair. I also believe that this is a complete failure of the parenting unit as well as our so called "public education system". If it were up to me, I would see that the principals were fired from each school which did not pass at least 65% of their students, under 70% they would get a reduction in pay. It's up to the principals to marshal the teachers. I also believe that the education minister should be removed from his post for not only allowing this travisty of justice to happen, but attempting to defend it as well! What he should do is take home only 53% of his sallary and donate the rest to the education system for the betterment of all. As this is his domain, it is a complete and utter failure, and so is he. As the minister of education, he has, what I consider, to have one of the most important roles in government. His department's job is to ensure the education of Bermuda's most precious assett, our youth, and he has failed misreably. I don't care what political party you are for, cause essentially he's screwing over ALL of our children. To allow this to continue would be an outrage!
Posted by Full Fullish on 08.08.05 at 10:26
A continuous look at statistics, test scores and other form of standardized measures for assessing students will continue to produce disparities between who is actually intelligent and who is simply getting good grades.
The mistake we have made as a society, and as educators, is to hold the belief that all the woes of the education system exist solely within the confines of the various middle- and high-schools. The problem is much more evasive than that. The plethora of factors which ultimately lead to the 47% failure rate must be analyzed and addressed fairly.
My feeling is that we shouldn't be too dependant upon figures. They tell a deceptive story, designed to pedestal some at the expense of others. While I agree, much can be done to change those figures, we should take consideration of the bigger picture.
Posted by It Doesn't Matter on 08.08.05 at 10:43
Maybe we could outsource our difficult students (those who prevent others from learning) to 3rd world countries and all those others who admire the lifestyle in same 3rd world countries as maybe they stay and ease the overcrowding here ?Outsourcing can be a good thing.
Was that Rupee or Toupee ?
I think as spokesperson for those who supply 60% plus of our income Ezekiel feels that taxation without representation is unrealistic and so takes advantage of free speech as very little else is free here assuming of course that we really do have free speech, Sean O'Connell may feel otherwise !
Dunleavy is a competent writer and Limey provides a useful service many inc myself feel.
Onion you have become rather petty with personal comments on such triviality as HAIR ?
Next time you see David at the Chess club hit him on the rug with your high heeled shoe girl !
Posted by Bill Cook on 08.08.05 at 10:48
A major problem that effects this issue is the Home Front. Times have changed somewhat for the worse, not better. When one looks around at all the youth hanging around and out during the day it opens your eyes. Single parents, divorce, affodable housing. A lot of parents are interested in their childrens future because they really are not interested in theirs. This live for today attitude is not securing the future.
If you took a survey, I would bet that the failing students come from broken homes, disfunctional families and the likes.
Mr. Lister, to me is a BLISTER on the Education system. He needs to be treated. Most heal with time, this one needs surgery, now. The Family unit needs a heavy dose of Anitbiotics, and the Government needs a Labobtomy.
We need foriegn workers, and until such time when they can be replaced, how can we place our children in such positions when all they want to do is look and act like a bunch of thugs. Parents are supposed to be Role Models but most of them just want to strut their stuff.
Posted by Monkeyman on 08.08.05 at 10:55
If you're gonna wear a toupee, rug, whatever, make sure it looks somewhat real. It just gets on my nerves when I see it, I can't help it. Ok, forget the rug.
Posted by Onion on 08.08.05 at 10:56
Monkeyman writes:
"We need foriegn workers, and until such time when they can be replaced, how can we place our children in such positions when all they want to do is look and act like a bunch of thugs. Parents are supposed to be Role Models but most of them just want to strut their stuff."
We need SOME foreign workers. Don't forget not all of us were educated in the present woeful state of public education.
Posted by Onion on 08.08.05 at 11:04
The main problem with most democracies is that the politicians that govern do not use the same services that they oversee.
Many problems that afflict the educational and medical sytems of modern countries would easily be solved if we made one law:
With the above law in place, I'd like to see how they would govern.
Posted by Anonimal on 08.08.05 at 11:17
...and that doesn't necessarily provide a realistic account of why people fail in school. When I attended high-school I was told that I would amount to nothing. My grades were deplorable at best. Teachers suggested that I could not read and write as late as 2002. But it must be kept in mind, the comments of educators was not an accurate reflection of my abilities or capabilities. Those comments were designed to cultivate a belief that I was lesser than many students around me. It was a deliberate attempt to cultivate -- within me -- a negative perception of myself.
While the role of the family cannot be underestimated, it is not the be-all and end-all of the situation. I was raised in a loving family, devoted to my success; but it changed the complexion of my grades little.
To succeed academically is not necessarily the same as 'succeeding'. Bermudian society makes the mistake of callously mixing the two.
...and on the matter of foreign workers: I think a more realistic analysis of that situation needs to be undertaken. Any lame excuse won't cut it -- and it shouldn't.
Posted by It Doesn't Matter on 08.08.05 at 11:18
Boy it looks like everyone ate their Wheaties this morning! Great comments! Now the questions...I have 2 children in the Bermuda public school system Bermuda. They are both on Honor Roll. Should I send them abroad to school or remortgage the house to send them to local private schools. Is it really that bad? Maybe I am missing something very important because my children are doing well in this system?
Posted by save d cut on 08.08.05 at 11:35
Lister doesn't Listen
I guess if Lister's 53% is greater than Alex Scotts' approval rating he figures he's doing OK.
The big picture is that as a whole Bermuda is failing it's youth. The big question is why? Who's running the show. Is it the island's leaders, the teachers, parents? or has everyone just given up on the kids and decided they are are too ignorant to bother with. And even worse, have the kids given up on themselves and said why bother.
A lot of people have posted some very true comments and good suggestions but Bermuda really needs to take it to the next level. 53% is a very scary number because, as others have stated, a good education is the most important underlying requirement to lead a productive life. 53% is not good enough. If I ran a company and my track record was so low I'd be out a job. This didn't just happen over-night.
53% = F
Posted by SmokingGun on 08.08.05 at 11:37
To It Doesn't Matter,
I agree that grades don't necessarily reflect one's true intellect and their ability to contribute to the work force, however in the majority of cases they're not a bad approximation. In middle school, and less so in high school, grades more accurately reflect how hard one is willing to work and push themselves, traits that absolutely are necessary to succeed in the workforce (but not the public sector...;)
The brief 'statistics can be misleading' line that you're raising is helpful in some circumstances, but I don't think this is one of them. Half of public school students failed to achieve the standards set by the public school system. And plesae don't tell me that those standards are too high, because school standards have been going down since the previous government scrapped adherence to the GCSE O level exams years ago.
As for the foreign workers arguement, until Bermudian teachers prove that they are good enough, I say the education of our children is too important a job to just blindly hire Bermudians regardless of their ability. Its a lot better to have to postpone Berkley's physical construction due to incompetence then try to cover up 4 years of shoddy education.
Posted by Lost in Flatts on 08.08.05 at 11:39
To save d cut:
The public education system, in my opinion, is not much different from the private ones. There is simply a lack of respect for our younger people in this country. We dont see the worth in them as the leaders of tomorrow. We've forced them into believing lesser of themseves through our prejudicial views against them. We judge them by inaccurate standards, and hold those standards out as the deciding factor in their lives. We fail our kids.
The question which must be answered is: What is the solution? It is fine to say that the public system is terrible. Fine to say that the problem stems from the home. But what exactly in the problem that needs addressing? Nobody has found a remedy by complaining incessently without looking for a viable solution to what they consider problematic.
What if we got rid of private schools, called all schools public, and legislated that all students, no matter their background shall go to the school closes to them. Without the reverence being provided to private schools, we may see an overall improval of the education system island wide.
Now I dont advocate that approach. I'm just trying to demonstrate the problem with wrongly classifying a dilemna.
Posted by It Doesn't Matter on 08.08.05 at 11:47
Flatts:
I must apologize for phrasing my above comments in the manner I did. They may have been convoluted. I would be foolish not to give credence to statistical data. I don't want to give the impression -- because it would be inaccurate -- that the standards set for the public education system are too high, or that 53% is a wonderful pass rate.
I believe the standards we set for out youth are too low. That is my ultimate point. Persons have a tendency to perform up to the level others have determined for them. Our constant bashing of students. Our calling them nothing-but-thugs. Our determining that they will amount to nothing is a poison which hampers their achievements.
But, also keep in the back of your mind that many people who receive stellar grades -- let us say As -- are truly deserving of Ds. And those that got Ds are truly deserving of As. It comes down to a range of factors.
Some would even argue that academics is not truly about intelligence, and they have a point that shouldn't be dismissed with impunity.
Posted by It Doesn't Matter on 08.08.05 at 11:54
Lost in Flatts says:
"As for the foreign workers arguement, until Bermudian teachers prove that they are good enough, I say the education of our children is too important a job to just blindly hire Bermudians regardless of their ability. Its a lot better to have to postpone Berkley's physical construction due to incompetence then try to cover up 4 years of shoddy education. "
The problems with education do not stem from blindly our hiring Bermudians. I don't know where you get this from. The dept of education has always recuited teachers from abroad. In fact they always complain that there is a shortage of Bermudian teachers, particularly male. Foreign teachers aren't the solution.
A teacher from Canada, Scotland, England won't be any better equipped to deal with a knife wielding cussing, baggy pants wearing, cell-phone using, sleeping in class, rude student than a Bermudian teacher. In fact he/she may be less equipped.
The issue is the structure of our system. We plow money into a physical plant but not into personal training of our teachers and students. The issue is that we are not dealing with the domestic issues that manifest themselves in the classroom. Why is a 10 year old packing groceries at 10pm on a weeknight? He goes home late, obviously can't do any homework, and then is half asleep in class.
Then there is the issue of disciplne. Why do teachers wear track suits to class? How can you tell a student to dress appropriately if you yourself look like a bum?
I could go on and on.
Posted by Onion on 08.08.05 at 12:26
Dunleavy's and Lister's comments brought me back about 5 years ago when our receptionist's daughter failed to graduate from Berkeley. Mother was upset, etc etc. Then apparently, the daughter managed to get her BSSC (even though she failed Berkeley), and then enrolled at Bermuda College! If anything, the school system should be holding back the children who aren't making the grades until they do. That will then teach the children (hopefully) that they can't just breeze through the system and somehow get the BSSC at the end of it. And what kind of exam is the BSSC if kids failing high school can pass it?????
Sad situation indeed!
Posted by Tiggy on 08.08.05 at 12:28
Onion, You are correct about the state of education then and now. I went to school in the 50-60's. We got the cane, and even sneakers across our butts. It was a deterant for me.
It does'nt matter, when I stated about foriegner's, my statement was simplistic. If we had the caliber of accademic achievers, we would not have to have so many. Ther's an old saying," you will be replaced, but not easily" that comes to mind. And it Does Matter.
It's just too bad we let Tourism slip through our hands. It was all about financial gain for exempt companies, fees, etc. So many Bermudians were involved in the industry, but they were left high and dry after all those years of faithfull service to us and tourists alike. Most were Black and did such great things to enhance our reputation. This is now out the window, and a new door has been opened only to leave so many by the sidelines.
We should put our money where our mouth is and try to rectify this by voice, not by blogging. I will do my part, will you?. You have to have a football to score a goal, so lets put on our boots and kick some ass.
Posted by Monkeyman on 08.08.05 at 12:32
Then there is the issue of disciplne. Why do teachers wear track suits to class? How can you tell a student to dress appropriately if you yourself look like a bum?
I could go on and on.
Posted by: Onion | 08.08.05 12:26
Lesson #1: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Onion, you are 100% correct. This goes without saying in all aspects of life. Leading by example is rule #1 for a teacher or boss or elected official and even a parent.
Posted by SmokingGun on 08.08.05 at 12:34
Public schools are failing for a host of reasons but the real problem starts before in families that are failing their children.Our values are lost in quick fixes material gain and lack of responsibility.It does not help when actual parish and local communities are falling a part.There is no reason for failure in public education but lets face it to a large extent they are glorified day care centres.There are some great teachers in the public system but the tall poppie syndrome stops them from being anything but following civil service guidelines...in the other corner the teachers union outlines what teachers should not do beyond thier job discription.On top of this we have centalized our high schools and futher destroyed community identity. It can be fixed but it needs major private sector and community help.Meanwhile most Bermudian life skills are being learnt on the streets.
Posted by Big Bad Wolf ^..^ on 08.08.05 at 12:42
Education is something which the government has responsibility to provide to the population.
No government can force a student to study and no government can force a parent to make sure his/her child is doing the work as it is assigned by the teachers.
Why is it that when things go wrong everyone wants to jump up and blame the government but when things are going right and smoothly there is no credit given to the government?
No education system can be successful without the student studying and having a desire to succeed and without parents being directly involved in the education of their children.
I have respect for Christian, however, I think he is simpky playing a political game with this subject. He knows that when the parents are actively involved in the child's education better results occur. He, like his UBP counterparts, are very reluctant, for political reasons, to blame the parents, which is exactly where the blame lies.
How many UBP politicians and party supporters kept their kids in public education after the $120 million restructuring? Very, very few. How many UBP politicians or party supporters have their kids in the public school system today? Very, very few.
The failing of the education system cannot and should not be blamed on the government because they have hired qualified teachers, there are proper facilities. The blame rest solely on the parents of these students. I is not the resonsibility of the government to motivate children t do well academically, it is the responsibility of the parents.
Maybe its by design but the children that attend public schools are from the lower economic bracket where parents are scraping to make ends meet and many work more than one job and may not have the time to spend with the kids and their school work, thus the public education system is not performing as it could be but that is not the fault of the government.
Rather than sit back and complain why don't the posters on this site, most of which are anti-PLP, offer solutions to the current public education system crisis? How many of the posters on this site have their kids in the public education system?
Posted by Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr. on 08.08.05 at 12:44
Big Bad Wolf, I agree.
Getting back to the story of my receptionist, I forgot to mention that once the daughter "passed" the BSSC, her mother congratulated her, was so elated, jumping up and down. So the daughter probably never realised that to not graduate is not something to be proud of. It all comes from the family.
Posted by Tiggy on 08.08.05 at 12:49
Smokin, you had it right, but in the wrong order. You can't send children to school unless the are born. Parents are no.1 Thats the Childs first learning experience.
Guilden, I just flicked through your Post. I am not going to rad the rest of it. I am not anti-PLP thats all I am going to say.And please don't put labels on things you don't own or bought.
Posted by Monkeyman on 08.08.05 at 12:52
Onion,
I can add to your on and on list.
"if um got 6 teef and 2 drop out....how many teef um got left?"
The students should have offered her an apple.
Posted by savedcut on 08.08.05 at 13:06
As a public school teacher I have to tell you what ther eal deal is. That 53% figure is very misleading. The public schools reporttheir percentage graduation out of the NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ENTERED WITH THAT CLASS FOUR YEARS PREVIOUSLY. However, the private schools report their graduates as a percentage of those who STARTED THAT GRADUATION YEAR. In fact, if the papers were to do a little research they would have found this out...but then they would not have been able to whip the public schools as is their wont. Unfortunately, the graduation rate in both ares is far too low..lots of kids either drop out (public schools) or get kicked out (private schools).
Do an investigation to get at the real story, please! A pity minister Lister was not savvy enouh to say these things!!!
Posted by Derek Doe on 08.08.05 at 13:11
I think that some of the problems with the education system are systemic, such as a reluctance to fire underperforming teachers and heads. Changing this may mean recruiting more teachers from overseas, but if so, I think it's something the Department of Education should be prepared to do.
However, I suspect the 80/20 rule applies - that 80% of the problems with public education arise from 20% of the schools and 20% of the teachers. If we knew which were the underperforming schools (at all levels) and teachers perhaps it would be easier to do something about them, such as adopting the practices of the more successful schools.
The best way to do this, in my opinion, is to publish test results. It's a solution that's been suggested God knows how many times, by a variety of different people, but which the Government seems oddly reluctant to consider. It would give the schools an incentive to raise their standards and would allow Bermudians to bring pressure to bear to fix the underperforming ones.
Posted by Phil on 08.08.05 at 13:21
“save d cut” writes: “I have 2 children in the Bermuda public school system. They are both on Honor Roll. Should I send them abroad to school or re-mortgage the house to send them to local private schools?”
Congratulations to you as parents and to your children for being on the Honor Roll at school. Perhaps the answer to your question is in knowing whether other students who have graduated with honors from their school have been able to attend colleges of their choice and yours. Are these kinds of basic statistics being kept?
Posted by Raptor on 08.08.05 at 13:22
Monkeyman,
If you had read my comments you would have seen that I said MOST posters are anti-PLP. If you are not anti-PLP then my comments don't apply to you. Why get offended over something that does not apply to you?
Posted by Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr. on 08.08.05 at 13:25
Save D Cut,
"I have 2 children in the Bermuda public school system Bermuda. They are both on Honor Roll. Should I send them abroad to school or remortgage the house to send them to local private schools. Is it really that bad? Maybe I am missing something very important because my children are doing well in this system?"
You are not missing anything, you appreciate the role you have in the education of your children and you have obviously done a good job by being involved in the education of your kids. You should hold your head up high and you should be congratulated.
As I said earlier, no school system can succeed without the direct involvement of parents in the education of their children. Imangine if 100% of parents were as responsible as Save D Cut, the graduation rate of public school kids would be very near 100%.
Posted by Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr. on 08.08.05 at 13:32
Two things I can say for sure:
1. Terry Lister is exessively sensitive and has a hard time dealing with criticism. It's a problem that dogs him no matter what portfolio he is responsible for. It's a shame for he is a bright man. If he didn't take the criticism so personally, he might learn something from it.
2. Christian Dunleavy is playing politics. The UBP grappled with this problem for years with no success. In fact they probably made the situation worse.
Posted by lickinalong on 08.08.05 at 13:48
Why make this a political football? It's a serious problem that needs a solution. I'm sure Terry Lister has many good qualities and probably cares very much about these kids. The PLP is probably working on this problem already, but I don't know to exactly what extent, and so far there's not much success. Certainly the UBP didn't do any better. Maybe this is all an indication that it needs to be treated with more analysis and more urgency. There is no doubt that there are social problems involved, but if relatively large numbers of children/teens, who are the future of the island, are not making it, the social aspects of why need to be addressed too.
Posted by Raptor on 08.08.05 at 14:14
To Guilden M. Gilbert Jr.,
You're right, I'm anti-PLP, actually anti all (both?) politcal parties at the moment. I won't support a government that refuses to acknowledge its faults and try to improve. Especially one that flaunts their ability to do as they please outside of the law. But anyway, that's not the arguement here.
While you may be right that the government are not solely to blame for a poor public education system, you seem to want to completely remove any responsiblity from them. I taught at a public school in West Philly, trust me, their situation was far worse than any Bermudian's, but they still managed to graduate a higher percentage than us. Schools can be the difference in an otherwise neglected youth's life. Teachers that care, and are willing and able to go the extra mile for their students can make them want to work, want to graduate. Programs organised by the schools for afterschool and weekends can keep kids doing constructive things, and not getting into the gangs that are popping up all over. Mentoring programs can be implemented within schools, such as the Boys & Girls clubs in the states, or Big Bro's and Sisters. Hell, maybe MP's could visit schools and give guest lectures on Bermuda's government and other topical issues (though I'd like to see any vote appealing staying out of this ;) For $16,000 a year, all of these things could definitely be implemented. And fine, you may not get every student interested, but you'd certainly take a step in the right direction.
You argue that the government have hired qualified teachers and provided adequate facilities (well Berkley's on its way anyway) but these are not the end of governments responsibilities. If the teachers are not producing tangible results, maybe their qualificatinos need to be investigated. If a class is doing poorly, then get some new teachers in there. If you can't find Bermudians, get foreigners.
Oh and for the record, Mr. Lister's own children didnt' attend public school. You sound a bit like the MP himself with the accusation that the UBP don't send their kids to public school. That may be true, but it has nothing to do with the fact that kids are failing TODAY under the PRESENT government and it is that elected government who needs to address the problem.
Posted by Lost in Flatts on 08.08.05 at 14:15
Monkeyman,
I totally agree but let me add that Politicians, Teachers and Parents are all born as well. Many if not most of the afore-mentioned have kids and therefore are Parents. The question is what kind of Parent?
I was shipped of to England for my education at the age of 9. Bouncing back and forth was an education in it's own right. At the end of the day one gives up the essence of a close knit family in favor of an education. I have two minds as to which is better. Bermuda has probably one of the highest standards of living in the world and yet for some reason many people think they have to send their kids away to get a proper education.
(Espescially beyond high-school)
Some may say that the true issue lies in parents inability to raise their kids properly or to get them to study etc. Well yes that's true to a degree but it is the responsibility of the Government and Schools to provide the tools and resources to help create structure, especially in such an absolutely incredibly wealthy nation as Bermuda. If people have a lack of confidence in something they will not support it.
As the Wolf mentioned, should the Politicians and School Leaders have allowed CedarBridge to happen? Homogenizing our kids is no way to create a diversified, energetic, competitive and productive student base. It might make sense to an accountant but not to a robust education system.
I'm not an education expert by any sense of the word but I'll always believe that when you throw something big up like CedarBridge you run the risk of creating a cookie factory.
Posted by SmokingGun on 08.08.05 at 14:24
Raptor,
If the government provides an education system that parents and students do not take full advantage of how can you blame the government for the failure of the system? The system is only as good as what its participants decide to take from it.
Too many parents use the public schools as babysitting services and not for the real education of their children. They send their children to school but they take not interest in what, if anything, their children are learning.
The government is being blamed for the low graduation rate, especially by the UBP and the UBP are doing it only for attempted political gain. The party knows very well that a government cannot force students to learn and it cannot force parents to make certain their kids compelte their school work.
If the UBP really cared they would take the parents to task for failing their own children. That would only lead to political suicide, therefore, they try to blame the PLP. If a child is left to ignore his/her school work he/she will. It cannot be stressed enough that the parents are the key to the successful education of any child. The school and the teachers can only do so much. Studying for exams takes place outside of school, it occurs in the home.
Posted by Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr. on 08.08.05 at 14:26
Does CURE have stats on the percentage of blacks that graduate?
Posted by J Galt on 08.08.05 at 14:42
J Galt,
Graduate from where? Public or private school?
Posted by Onion on 08.08.05 at 14:50
Lost in Flatts,
"Schools can be the difference in an otherwise neglected youth's life. Teachers that care, and are willing and able to go the extra mile for their students can make them want to work, want to graduate."
I do not disagree with you.
Are you saying that the teachers in the public school system do not care? How much extra time should a teacher be expected to give, taking into consideration that teachers have administrative responsibilites after the bell rings and they also have their own families?
You seem to be implying that the teachers int he public school system are incapable of doing the jobs for which they were hired. Am I correct in this? If this is the case then this is a government responsibility.
As you have teaching experience, do you currently teach in the Bermuda public school system? If not, have you considered doing so?
After school programmes are ok but with parental support very few children will successfully make it through school. From first hand experience, I can tell you I wouldn't be where I am today without my parents being extremely tough on me and being heavily involved in my education as was the case with many of my friends. I can also look back on many of former classmates whose parents showed no interest. While some of them are very successful today, most are having a very difficult time.
Posted by Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr. on 08.08.05 at 14:56
Guilden, I wrote: “There is no doubt that there are social problems involved, but if relatively large numbers of children/teens, who are the future of the island, are not making it, the social aspects of why need to be addressed too.” I.e., I am aware of the huge responsibilities not always met by parents. These deficits are not necessarily insurmountable.
I would say from reading this thread that posters are perfectly willing to acknowledge the UBP has not had success with public education. They are also saying the PLP has not either and have pointed out they have yet to meet commitments they’ve made three years ago. We have to have accountability from our government, whichever party it is. Right now, we need accountability--I don't care which party it is. And, unlike you, I actually have some faith that most posters here care more about these kids and their futures and how that will impact the island than they do about UBP/PLP per se. Amazing!
Everyone/government should take negligent parents to task where appropriate, or help them where appropriate, and educate them.
I read recently in the RG of the woman who was/is homeless with her four children. These kids didn’t ask to be out on the street. In one interview she said, “birth control didn’t work.”
Well, we all know birth control actually does work—you just have to remember to use it, or be in a good enough mental state that you care about using it, and have some basic level of caring about yourself, a sense of responsibility, and hopefully not have been sexually abused as a child, etc. I.e., this is a very sad situation, and I do not know this woman’s personal circumstances, but her kids are likely to have a tough time succeeding. Are you saying government should not intervene, and we should we write them off?
Posted by Raptor on 08.08.05 at 15:07
My mom was a teacher in the Ontario Catholic School system. She had to leave the profession when she started "showing" as it was unseemly back then for even a married woman to be pregnant and at work. (We've come a long way baby!) When she left the profession, she took up tutoring on the side, and started a little program she called, "Getting Out What you Put In". It was basically an afternoon of cookies and tea for parents of children who were most at risk in our community. Mom sat down with the parents and talked to them about what to expect out of the school system, and what not to expect. She went so far as to hand them a type-written script (and rehearsed it with those who could not read) outlining how to have a conversation with your kid about school. Parent: "How was your day today?"..."What did you learn today that was fun?"..."Did you remember to write down what your homework assignment is? Let's go over it." If a kid was failing and the parent wasn't showing an interest, mom was on their doorstep with the ever-present basket of cookies.
I remember at the time thinking that this was the lamest thing in the world. But to this day, strangers appear on my mother's doorstep to say thanks.
Those of us clever enough to be sitting at computers right now probably cannot fathom that out there, right now, there are significant numbers of families who have no idea how to help their kids succeed at school. These parents don't need to be told in newspaper articles or blogs that they are a large part of the problem. These parents don't read the papers, or this site. I'd bet a lot of them can't read at all. They need real, concrete help. A script. Some time. A basket of cookies.
Let's talk practical solutions -- We don't need to blow up Cedarbridge, or fire all the teachers, or dismantle the Ministry of Education (or the Minister). We need a few more programs like my mom's.
Posted by denning on 08.08.05 at 15:12
Raptor,
Where did I ever say anything about writing anybody off?
I agree with you that these kids did not ask to be homeless and I, for one, have no problems with a government, via the tax receipts, offering social assistance to those in need. There are others on this DB that feel entirely differently, however.
You asked "Why make this a political football?" I was simply stating who was making it a political football and attempting to gain political mileage.
Posted by Guilden M. Gilbert, Jr. on 08.08.05 at 15:17
People need to research how civil servants (teachers would fall in this bracket) are hired and fired. They will find that the Government -- I mean the Legislators -- have very little to do with it.
It is a fallacy to blame the government outright for the state of this country's education system. I'm not even too sure people have taken a good look at the system to determine its shortcomings.
If an analysis was done, people would also find that the problem doesn't always stem from the home. There are societal influence which attach to the institutions and systematically derail the success of the youth embarking on education in those institutions.
It's time we call a spade a spade instead of shifting the blame. It's easy to say it's about parents. At least, until your son/daughter is having trouble in their public school and you can't fathom why because you've been too selective and discerning on what you accept as justifiable or not.
Posted by It Doesn't Matter on 08.08.05 at 15:23
It does'nt matter, thanks for saying what I wanted to say. Since I am not as eloquent as you you bring to light to the subject.
Amen.
Posted by Monkeyman on 08.08.05 at 15:32
I think Bermuda teachers are very qualified - local or foreign. What needs to happen is to stop pushing children through when they're not passing - even at the primary level. It will only make itself worse later on and I know this is common practice.
Posted by Tiggy on 08.08.05 at 15:33
Denning is right. A lot of these kids have no idea how to “get there from here,” and their parents weren’t taught how to help them.
Posted by Raptor on 08.08.05 at 15:53
Denning, your Mom's approach was and is a very good and worthwhile method of inclusion and guidance for parents. It is why parent/teacher meetings are so important. It is why classrooms should be small so teachers can get to know not only the kids but their parents as well. If Bermuda is spending $16,000 per child to go to school per year I can see no reason why classes have to be any more than 12-15 students.
Posted by SmokingGun on 08.08.05 at 16:07
Hi folks. Seeing as this discussion is becoming sidetracked into a debate about whether I wrote the column out of political opportunism (thanks Guilden) I'd like to address that.
I said in my original column, which angered Mr. Lister but was intended to provoke a community wide debate and some soul searching on why we tolerate such poor performance, that "Successive Bermuda governments have spent plenty of time and ink heralding the Bermuda economic miracle, while neglecting to admit that we aren’t equipping the majority of our young people with the skills to participate in it."
It seems I need to be more precise in that to placate the cynics. That statement was referring to the UBP and PLP.
I want to be clear here for Guilden, lickingalong or whoever else: Education is too important a topic for political mischief. I for one want to see it improved and was intending on using the RG platform to draw attention to a graduation rate that indicates we have a grave problem in the public system. That's undeniable.
I'd also like to say that in February I wrote two columns on this topic identifying what I saw as the problems and offered a potential solution. The solution involved removing education from the political realm by having elected school boards of parents, alumni, educators etc which would eliminate the top down politician and bureaucratic approach currently in place. That method is is not working and hasn't for decades.
To suggest that we just need to enroll our kids in the public system to see it improve is naive. The Ministry is out of touch and unresponsive to parents need. It has become a beast that primarily exists to further itself and the careers of the people who work there. Parents have little recourse other than voting out the Minister (and that hasn't helped) because they don't wield real power in day to day management. The Ministry is the problem, along with parenting, discipline, low standards, social promotion etc. etc..
I know it's easy to lob the accusation that I'm a political opportunist.
But all I can say is that education is an issue that I care about deeply and sincerely believe holds the key to delivering productive, prosperous and rewarding lives for our young people.
So surely this forum can focus on identifying the problem and proposing solutions and not make this about me and Lister. That's what his angry response wanted, to draw attention away from the core issue and into a partisan cat-fight.
I've said my piece, and expand on it in my next Gazette column. For now however I'd like to sit back quietly and listen to some of the ideas floated here and in other media rather than dominate the discussion. I for one don't think that I have all the answers. But please let's not get sidetracked, it's too important.
And again, I'll repeat my call from my original column for a public inquiry into public education so that we can get to the bottom of all the causes and come up with a way forward.
Posted by christian dunleavy on 08.08.05 at 16:07
I do not read Christian's columns. By his own admission he is highly partisan towards the UBP and I have no time for anyone who will defend their party at all costs - PLP or UBP.
Here are the problems with education in Bermuda as i see it.
1. We have too many children being brought up in an environment devoid of any sense of responsiblity or sense of value. In Bermuda, due to our relatively high standard of living things have come easy to people. Where else in the world can you work on the back of a trash truck and pull in $1000/week. But as a result families have not put enough of an emphasis on education, knowing that you do not need to have a PhD to make $1000/week. This has nothing to do with the financial means of the family but more to do with a mentality. Poor Asian and West Indian families have emigrated to the US years for years. But in these families three things have always been emphasised - 1. education, 2. education, 3. education.
We place more emphasis on spending money on perishable consumer goods. But the trouble is, thus far, we have been able to have this mentality, live this lifestyle, and get away with it to a degree.
2. The education system faltered in allowing these mega schools. Big mistake. When the rest of the world were doing away with these communist style structures we adopted them.
We accept indiscipline and mediocrity from our students. The one on one hard-core level of education is lost. Where we used to focus on the three Rs we focus on wishy washy education schemes and programs. What happened to the idea of giving people homework and disciplining them if it is not done?
Even in our sports clubs, which used to foster and enforce solid principles of sportsmanship and commitment, we allow violence to go unpunished. The latest Cup Match fiasco by our youngsters is an example of this. My guess is that they will receive little or no punishment. In my day, if you cussed once on the field you were sent home. Now you have clubs making excuses for the players!! Also, in my day, if your grades were not good enough you could not play sports for your school. If you couldn't play for your school, you could not play for your club!! (It was a shock when Trinidadian coach and former test player Gus Logie axed some pretty senior and experienced players before the tournament in Ireland. They did not train properly, so they didn't play. But guess what, we're in the World Cup.)
Education needs to follow the same principle. We need to stop bringing the quality of education down so that those at the bottom can feel good about themselves. Instead we need to bring those at the bottom UP to where they should be! If parents can afford to invest in FIFA Play Station, shopping trips to Miami, parts for their car, etc etc, then they can afford to invest in extra tutoring for thei child, decent books to read and trips abroad where they can actually learn something and not just buy something.
Goodness, I'm beginning to sound like Cosby.
Posted by Onion on 08.08.05 at 16:31
Monkeyman writes: "We need foriegn workers, and until such time when they can be replaced, how can we place our children in such positions when all they want to do is look and act like a bunch of thugs. Parents are supposed to be Role Models but most of them just want to strut their stuff".
While a tad judgmental, and overly generalized, I think this is on to something.
Last year I attended an Urban League Dinner in Minneapolis. The Urban League is a wonderful organization that empowers African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. It is led by Marc Morial who was the progressive mayor that turned around significant corruption in the New Orleans police department, as well as implementing many forward thinking social programs during his tenure. This man impressed me and I would not be surprised to see him become the first black U.S. President. I digress.
He hit on a very important statistic in his talk. He said that there is a huge discrepancy between the vocabulary of black children entering kindergarten in the U.S. and others (a statistic that would not shock me if I found it true here in Bermuda as well). I believe it was something like 700 words versus 2,000. With such a discrepancy the children are clearly set up to fail as they can never catch up without a parent who spends substantial time with them extra-curricularly. As a result, the Urban League has taken on pre-school and after-school programs as a key platform. I only wish our government would do the same.
These programs help to build self-esteem. Children starting behind will have real self-esteem problems which will only be exasperated as they go forward and don't catch up. (You can blame their parents if you want but clearly they aren't fostering the positive self-esteem that is necessary to grow strong citizens, for whatever reason. I actually believe that many parents likely have their own esteem problems, many of which are socially fostered and beyond their control so there is no point blaming). The problem with self-esteem is that if you don’t have it innately you try to compensate for it. Unfortunately most people do it by trying to find role models. Equally unfortunate is that throughout North America, Britain and many of the islands, the MTV generation’s role models are Gangster Rappers. (I can see the eyes rolling now, but give me a chance). Kids find that if they can’t excel at school that they have a chance at excelling as a “thugs” as Monkeyman suggests. So what to do?
First lets not suggest censoring the TV and CDs our kids watch and listen to. Lets do the things that will help our kids develop positive self-esteem at an early age. Adler was a psychologist that believed that a child’s world view is developed by the time they are five. Many Adlerians believe the same. If you buy this then we as an island have to develop programs that will assist in developing positive self-esteem early in life. As a suggestion:
1. Publicly funded daycare. Ideally where children are taught on an Adlerian curriculum which very simply put – lets the children take responsibility for their own actions as soon as they are capable, whether it is simply dressing themselves or deciding when to partake in clas and when not to. The program would work on vocabulary also to ensure no big deficits.
2. After school programs for children from age five to say nine. There could be additional tutoring as well as keeping Latchie kids off the streets.
3. A mentoring program for youngsters. There are some in our community that are doing excellent work trying to foster mentoring programs for teens. This is admirable, however I believe that unless this happens earlier they may be a bit of a lost cause. These programs would be modeled in part on the Big Brother/Big Sister programs, and may be a way to get Bermudians from different walks of life communicating.
4. I would ensure that there was more involvement by parents. Indeed, in other countries the school boards run the schools, not the government. The government should fund but we should have interested parties (i.e. those whose children attend the schools managing them – note this leaves Terry off the list).
5. We are a small island. I would publicly recognize those who work hard and succeed. Simple things like bumper stickers for parents of children who do well. Pins etc. for those who do well. Don’t wait until they are almost graduating before you reward their efforts.
6. Get rid of the one school fits all. Not all students should be in an academic setting. Lets have technical schools and academic schools. That way the academic kids won’t be bullied into underperforming. The technical schools should teach skills that are relevant for the island. Hotel and restauarant training, office administration etc.
Just some ideas. But they are more than I have heard from the UBP or the PLP.
Posted by Intrigued on 08.08.05 at 16:38
I've actually only now read Christian's comments above. My opinion was based on what he had said a few months ago on this blog that he is partial to UBP.
Posted by Onion on 08.08.05 at 16:43