This week, Minister of Education Jeffrey Lloyd said 'something is wrong' with the country’s educational system.
By KHRISNA RUSSELL
Deputy Chief Reporter
krussell@tribunemedia.net
A DAY after Education Minister Jeff Lloyd said “something is wrong” with the country’s educational system, officials withheld an official subject letter grade breakdown for the Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education examination results, which also show that of 6,692 students who sat the national tests this year, only 521 or 7.8 per cent, scored a C or above in mathematics, English and a science subject.
This is about a nine per cent decrease compared to last year.
This lack of detailed BGCSE statistics raises questions over how students fared in individual test subjects and highlights challenges this country faces regarding the readiness of youth to adjust to life after high school where they are expected to transition into the work force or college.
However, sources within the Ministry of Education told The Tribune this year’s test scores did not depart greatly from the dismal grade trends seen in both 2015 and 2016.
On Wednesday Mr Lloyd told educators during an event in Grand Bahama that they could not continue to rest on their laurels while the national exam results remain at a D average.
“For the last 10 years or more, the BGCSE results have shown not (any) improvement; we started out with a D, we are still at a D - something is wrong,” the minister said during the Ministry of Education’s annual Teachers’ Enrichment Day. The event was held at the Jack Hayward High School gymnasium on Wednesday.
He continued: “There is no way to camouflage it; there is no way to excuse it; something is wrong and we must fix it.”
He went on to stress the only way the issue could be corrected was to go back to the beginning and start with preschoolers.
In 2015, core subjects of mathematics and English averaged an E and D+ respectively. In 2016, the ministry did not release letter grades per subject, but then Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald confirmed at the time that the grades were not much different from those of 2015.
Prior to 2015, subject letter grades were released with the official BGCSE and Bahamas Junior Certificate (BJC) exam tests scores. The following year, the ministry broke away from its traditional analysis, only giving a general overview and percentage calculations per letter grade. This year, the Ministry of Education also did not hold its usual press conference to officially release the results, this time opting to disseminate the details of the tests by email.
Results
“In 2017, a total of 521 candidates received at least a grade C or better in mathematics, English language and a science,” the press release accompanying the 2017 results noted. “This represents a decrease of 9.23 per cent when compared to 2016 which had a total of 574 candidates. There were 570 candidates in 2015; 588 in 2014 and 561 candidates in 2013.”
According to the new results, there were 2,141 As; 3,000 Bs; 7,065 Cs; 5,569 Ds; 3,496 Es; 1,936 Fs; 1,184 Gs and 710 Us for the BGCSE exams.
Regarding the number of students who sat these tests, there were 6,692, or a 3.95 per cent increase compared to the 6,438 test takers in 2016.
A further breakdown of the results showed in 2017, a total of 1,493 candidates obtained a minimum grade of D in at least five subjects. This represents an increase of 2.33 per cent from 2016, which had a total of 1,459 candidates.
There were also 1,534 candidates achieving this mark in 2015; 1,545 in 2014 and 1,626 in 2013.
In addition, a total of 880 candidates received at least grade C in five or more subjects in 2017 compared with 903 candidates in 2016.
This represents a decrease of 2.55 per cent. There were 961 candidates in 2015; 922 candidates in 2014 and 996 in 2013 in this category.
The Bahamas Junior Certificate (BJC) examination results were not much different when compared with the BGCSE test scores.
Of the 12,120 students who took the tests in 2017, only 1,326 or 10.94 per cent of candidates achieved at least a C in mathematics, English and a science.
“This represents a 14.67 per cent decrease when compared with 2016, which had a total of 1,554 candidates. There were 1,479 candidates in 2015; 1,651 candidates in 2014 and 1,302 candidates in 2013,” the Ministry of Education said in its press release.
The BJC results also show there were 3,831 As; 7,033 Bs; 9,395 Cs; 8,036 Ds; 6,036 Es; 4,508 Fs; 2,954 Gs and 2,565 Us.
“When compared with 2016, there is a percentage decrease noted at grades A, C, E and U and increases at B, D, F and G. It is interesting to note that this is the second consecutive year the percentage at U has decreased.
“Overall, the percentage of candidates achieving grades A – D decreased this year when compared with last year,” the Ministry of Education said.
Comments
gbgal 7 years, 3 months ago
We have not yet learned our lessons! The old curriculum ain't working! Revamp the way we teach and learn...some excellent books out there to inform discussions. Only a fool keeps doing the same things and expecting different results. Here is a news flash...do we need to be teaching to pass BGCSE? Or educating the students?
tell_it_like_it_is 7 years, 3 months ago
What curriculum? The reality is for many of the subjects taught, the government doesn't even have a full curriculum. Many teachers have to search online or develop their own scope and sequence as to what they will teach for the year which leads to inconsistencies and a lack of preparation in key areas. Establishing a full curriculum for every subject taught from K to 12 can help greatly.
ohdrap4 7 years, 3 months ago
that is what the top private schools do. they adopt curriculae from other countries.
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrades! I thinks Crown Minster Jeff is brunging his talk show host's ways to the education ministry....... talk, talk, talk! This minister has no shortage human gas!
sealice 7 years, 3 months ago
Another classic example of the failures of the PLP....all the future generations of dumbasses that can't get decent jobs.... thank you PLP
athlete12 7 years, 3 months ago
What is the purpose of these exams again?
Clamshell 7 years, 3 months ago
The purpose of the exams is to determine if the students have been educated to a level that will prepare them to live in a modern world, as adults -- if they are prepared for advanced education, or a semi-skilled position, or even if they can work in a job that requires them to make change for a dollar without the aid of a computer cash register. Apparently, that is not going well ...
sheeprunner12 7 years, 3 months ago
The purpose of BGCSE is to identify the graduating cohort who can go to academic college (Grades A-C) and those who will need post-school training for the wider skills bank of vocational workers ........... But this should be created from Grade 10 .......... BJCs should determine whether you go to academic or vocational high school
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrades! Let us not get angry but get smarter! The exam results are what a broken educational system looks like. We must not rush to empower any crown cabinet minister to runoff to spend even more hundreds millions dollars of the peoples monies on foreign "F" consultants in an attempt to repair a broken educational system. The whole damn educational system needs be bulldozed down like the developer did the church building and homes that were built on his lands.
OldFort2012 7 years, 3 months ago
A propos, Tal, what grade did you get in English?
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrade OldFort2012, just because I've had struggle through my lifetime - doesn't mean we should do the same our children and grands. Yes, I'm book learning broken... but I've never allowed it bend or break me in spirit, or from becoming an honest and good adult person!
OldFort2012 7 years, 3 months ago
Good for you! Congratulations!
Clamshell 7 years, 3 months ago
You do OK, Tal ... good on ya.
proudloudandfnm 7 years, 3 months ago
Just go back to the British system man...
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 3 months ago
Sean McWeeney is one of those responsible for destroying the high quality of education we were receiving from expat British teachers prior to the early 1970s. As Head Boy of QC he made it a point to destroy the very thing that he himself had greatly benefitted from......a good primary and secondary school education by mainly well trained and highly devoted British teachers all the way through the GCE 'A' level program at the time. Loftus Roker under SLOP later ended up putting the nail in the coffin of a good education for most Bahamians by overnight kicking most of the highly qualified expat teachers out of our country and replacing them with unqualified Bahamian teachers....with devastating consequences for our public education system. It has been all down hill since then with successive PLP and FNM governments realizing that it is not in their interest to have well educated voters....hence the dumbing down policy of successive generations of voters, with our public education system being starved of the resources needed to draw the best available teaching talent. And only recently does this imbecile Jeffrey Lloyd announce that it is the Ministry of Education's intent to keep on or rehire the very same old Bahamian teachers who are responsible for the appalling exam results that he is now so vociferously complaining about! Go figure!!!
Clamshell 7 years, 3 months ago
You raise a very good point. I have friends, a married couple, who were expat Brit teachers in the out islands.
Under the PLP, the lady was treated horribly. She was reassigned from a school near her home, where she had taught for years, to a school 40 miles away, had to commute every day.
Her last year, before she retired, she went unpaid for nearly the entire school year. When she asked why, for months on end, she was always told, "We're looking into it." But the pay never came, even though she kept teaching. Her biggest problem, it seems: she was white, and "foreign".
She finally retired, is now giving private lessons, trying to rescue children who are failing miserably in the gov't. school system. And there is now a "for sale" sign in front of their home. Yes, nice job, PLP. Guess you won that round ...
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrade Clamshell, at no time did the Pindling PLP government, ever roundup and deport English residents from the Bahamaland.... but in 1968, the new PLP government, did in fact roundup and deport black Turks & Caicos Islanders.... Turks Islanders who until 1968 had sincerely but wrongly believed that they were part of the Bahamaland.....and were in sudden total shock to discover they were not recognised on equal footing as citizens the Bahamaland?
To this day I've never understood why we never go around to inviting the Turks Islanders to become a part of the Bahamaland?
Clamshell 7 years, 3 months ago
Tal, clearly the situation I was referring to was very recent, long past the Pindling era. The Turks story is fascinating, but not relevant, thank you.
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrade Clamshell, every influx foreign workers that were invited to our shores - form an important part of our country's and peoples long history.... starting with the wonderful Barbadians who came as early as the 1890 to serve as policeman's constables. In fact, there was a time when we actually encouraged Haitian nationals to set sail for our shores. The first two blacks to serve as members of the House of Assembly, were Haitian refugees.
Clamshell 7 years, 3 months ago
That history is wonderful, Tal ... but I can tell you first hand, from experience, that governmental disdain for foreigners was very real over the past 5 years. The average Bahamian is very friendly, terrific people -- but anyone wearing a badge or a title -- from Customs to Immigration to Road Traffic to the utilities -- have often been scornful or openly hostile to "foreigners". I've felt it up close and personal.
tell_it_like_it_is 7 years, 3 months ago
Good points, but this scenario has happened to the white and black alike.
Baha10 7 years, 3 months ago
Very well articulated Summary of "how we got here" and the "real" Culprits responsible, who should be held accountable. Indeed, what they have done is far more damaging in many ways to the corruption investigations currently underway, particularly when one bears in mind such corruption to a large extent is a indirect consequence of their actions, to wit: nothing short of "Traitors", certainly not worthy of Queen's Honors, but rather more appropriately should have their Citizenships revoked for betraying and destroying a fledgling Country.
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrade ProudLoudAndFNM, we need only return to the excellent job Pindling and Cecil Wallace did for reshaping Bahamaland's public schools.
Personally, what puzzles me is how this bunch red shirts crown cabinet ministers whilst in opposition, never talked about "We" the government and "the people" have to pull together to make a difference..... instead they solely and exclusively blamed PLP government for everything under the sun.
Minister Jeff and his crown cabinet colleagues speaks with a lisp. You has knows these red shirts ministers, does have push hard on their tongues between their teeth whenever they attempt properly pronounce the word "We".Their tongues gets all caught up against the roof of their mouths.
Noticed how Minister Jeff's sudden lisp, prevents him from mentioning the establishment of a National Lottery to fund our public schools?
Tal's note: Only the rich will get richer, building and leasing back schools to a red shirts government. The poor and near poor, don't build public schools?
The_Oracle 7 years, 3 months ago
The schools are simply a reflection of out society, just as in any other country. Don't like that thought? then your argument would be with the truth. Our school system was designed by the British, staffed with the British, and largely run by the Anglicans, Methodists and Catholics. Then the Government got into the game, changed the game, and yes, extradited the expat teachers.
One of many I know of, was given 2 weeks to leave. Was Head of a primary school. She did fine back in England, became a principal. But loved it here. Put 30 years in here, teaching Pindlings, Sweeneys, Gibsons Hannas, all the names of self determination, independence etc etc. Look at those Government high produced back in the 50's, 60's, and even the early 70's. The ones that amaze me though, are the occasional bright sparks, articulate, inquisitive, unstoppable individuals I get to meet. Sure, we lose many to overseas education and industry, the thousands who never came back. But some stay, and defied the system. And what do we do with them? Show them a system of patronage, connection, fraud and avarice. We thwart them at every turn, sap them of that spark, God forbid we should allow them to thrive! The Bahamas has failed itself from the core promise and premise. And yet we worship the names of those who delivered this woeful state of affairs. Intentional or not, it is the result we must live with, and get serious about changing. But that means changing us.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 3 months ago
The Director and the Minister are saying that BGCSE exams are not the major determinants of a high school graduate's success ............ So why don't we create a Bahamas Aptitude Test (BAT) that will capture the true standard of the 75% of students who cannot get a "D" at the BGCSE ................... They (Lloyd & Sands) want the public to concentrate on their children graduating from high school, but the Fitzgerald Diploma is another albatross worth discussing
ohdrap4 7 years, 3 months ago
those students are sub-standard, why bother to rank substandard.
and do not tell me about vocational stuff, car mechanics and masons and construction workers need to read well and do good math.
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrades! Revolutionary changes in how public schools education should be delivered will reduce the number of private 'for profit' school places needed..The plan should not be to build new private schools, or expand private 'for profit' schools classrooms but for the eventual closure privately 'for profit' operated schools completely that compete against public schools.
Unfortunately, we don't have a revolutionary-minded minister in charge of our public schools.
Greentea 7 years, 3 months ago
I remember several years ago encountering a young woman about 17/18 years old in the National Insurance line Big Pond. She looked normal mentally. Fully developed physically but she reached out to me to help her fill out the form. The girl could not read and write properly. I helped her but my heart sank. I had encountered illiteracy at PMH when I worked there during the summertime in high school, but then it was usually an older crowd. This girl was no doubt a high school graduate and it has become clearer and clearer that she was not alone. Sad as it may be- an illiterate population; a population that cannot reason, cannot read properly, cannot count, can't think critically on their own, but want the trappings of life they see others have is a dangerous, dumb and potentially immoral population- whose first instincts become survival. I recall my dad working on building Atlantis back in the day and he was shocked at the number of young male workers who didn't read the paper, didn't know what was going on in the country and to his horror, couldn't read a check to know whether they were being paid what was duly owed to them. Back then he would say all the time "we are in trouble." My parents went to Southern and Eastern Senior schools. Schools that no longer exist for whatever reason and most of their teachers were Bahamians. They can function on an education they received in the 50s and today our students can't pass English and math? They need to identify what is wrong, make a call and start again. They need to start with making 40 students in a classroom illegal; encourage teachers to continue training after they get the job to keep up with the times; cut the deadweight; introduce 21st century learning methods and curricula; introduce different types of schools like art schools, language academies, vocational high schools that all teach the same core curriculum in addition to classes in their specialty area. Finally we need to discourage this culture of mediocrity that has taken over the Bahamas. There is no future with a majority illiterate, ignorant, feral population. No future.
tell_it_like_it_is 7 years, 3 months ago
You've made some fine points Greentea. Another important factor that people don't seem to remember was that the disenfranchised populace of 50 years ago were hungrier as well.
They knew they had to fight hard for every thing they got and so they took their education and other opportunities more seriously. I know many teachers today who say their students tell them point blank - they don't need to do well in school because their parents will provide for them. Now we know this is absolute nonsense but the mentality of many seems to be that school is not that important. They're more interested in boyfriends/girlfriends and prom.
SP 7 years, 3 months ago
Blah, blah, blah. Nobody wants to address the real elephant in the room. Start to correct the problem by getting rid of the over crowding burden caused by Haitians!
These people are nothing less than parasites standing on our heads, dragging the country and our people down to their level, taking advantage of all they can while pushing Bahamians down.
Reduce the number of students by getting rid of the burden of Haitians and focus on THE TAX-PAYING CITIZENS OF THE BAHAMAS!
With human smuggling, drug smuggling and arms dealing bringing the most to Haiti's GDP, nobody anywhere has ever heard of Haitians reporting criminal activity of other Haitians!
The Dominican Republic, United Staes and now Canada are getting rid of these parasitic, inherently corrupt people.
The Bahamas had better wake up and face reality!!
DEDDIE 7 years, 3 months ago
SP I heard that it is the Haitian children that's bring in up to a "D". Without them it is actually an "F".
SP 7 years, 3 months ago
Wonderful! Happy to have helped them. Now they can take their little genius parasites back to help rebuild Haiti! Regardless of what you heard is true or not, all the more reason to get rid of the Haitians and focus on our own children and people. The Bahamas is not responsible for, and cannot afford to educate Haitians!
As long as we keep sticking our heads in the sand, the Haitians will continue taking advantage of our exposed derrieres as they have for decades.
Cas0072 7 years, 3 months ago
I have been hearing this anecdotal nonsense since I was in school and I can say with certainty that this was not the case for any of the public schools that I attended. Things may have changed, but let's try to base our opinions on real stats. Now since you want to exchange gossip, I heard that the children of illegal immigrants account for more than 60% of the overcrowded classrooms in government schools.
gbgal 7 years, 3 months ago
Get back to creating a superior academic school for the top students to compete for entry. (Like the old Govt High). We need only one for the island or maybe the country. Offer a comprehensive education school, including a BTVI style for the majority of others; introduce a proper Apprentice System for practical learning, ensuring a certificate for success at each stage. (Can be modelled after the British system). The students can decide how to spend their time and efforts, and be too busy to cause disruption in school! The country will benefit by having properly trained technicians to hire for service. At the moment, anyone who has a hammer styles himself/herself as a carpenter!
sheeprunner12 7 years, 3 months ago
You have the right idea ....... Dame Ivy Dumont had the right idea of magnet schools but the PLP killed that in 2002 ........ We need to get away from these cookie cutter senior high schools ..... We need the old GHS, tech/voc schools and STEM schools ...... Makes no sense running Home Ec, Chemistry, Agriculture and Carpentry programmes in every high school in Nassau ..... create specialist schools for each programme and set up ONE senior high school on each Family Island .... Too much duplication of resources with every little school trying to do everything ...... and nothing getting done at the end of the day ........ Lloyd has to make drastic changes.
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 3 months ago
How would the specialist schools work? Trying to wrap my mind around it. Hmm... Less subjects can't hurt, but it would be good for students to get exposure to basics in a bunch of topics. For example, I'd like everyone to know about geography, some biology, civics, etc...doesn't have to be a full blown curriculum, but some basics so they know whats out there.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 3 months ago
Every school will teach English, Math, Science, Social Studies/Civics, RK/F.Life......... and their specialist subjects (Academic Science, Humanities, Home Economics, Agriculture, Tech/Voc, Business, Drama/Arts etc.) ....... That is the magnet school concept that we need to use ..... Get rid of these lousy cookie cutter high schools ......... Make better use of the human resources
baldbeardedbahamian 7 years, 3 months ago
The Hon. Jeffrey L. Lloyd has the benefit of a Long Island upbringing, in addition he has had years of teaching experience in the classroom. It is a huge challenge to correct the failed education system but no one is more competent and qualified for the job than the Hon. Jeffrey. Some of the important stuff he knows, he learnt from me, so he got to be good. smile.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 3 months ago
Well .......... tell him to get off his dufus and make some hard decisions about public education ....... Go sit with Dame Ivy (a real Long Islander) to get some more wisdom ......... smt
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 3 months ago
I think we need to begin with the end in mind. What do we want the workforce to look like in XYZ year and how can we train our productive citizenry to fill it. That's students and society at large, irrespective of age.
MonkeeDoo 7 years, 3 months ago
The public and private education sectors are compromised in my view. Any child fortunate enough to go away to school immediately finds a schoolday does not end at 3:00 PM. At 3:00 PM there will usually be some kind of sport or physical ed type activity ( teaches them team activities and rules ) among others, and then they go back to study hall where they can do homework under the supervision of a qualified teacher. One teacher might monitor several classrooms and brighter students can be assigned to help weaker ones. The entire country is compromised with the schoolday ending at 3:00 PM because both government and the private sector suffer with school pickup. Why this magical hour I don't know, but kids going home to empty houses, and no supervision, what would inspire them to do any homework. If the schools kept the kids until 5:00 or 6:00 PM we would see amazing improvements in our academic results. The days of bank employees and teachers having to end their day at 3:00 PM are over. That extra 3:00 hours of supervision for children will pay dividends immediately. Lets go bold and do it. Public and Private Schools.
ohdrap4 7 years, 3 months ago
the issue has always been one of compensation, teachers would have to have to work shifts and another set of teachers need to be hired,
the work day does not end at 3pm for teachers, they have to mark, and evewn schools which use online tests, the teachers have to set online tests.
MonkeeDoo 7 years, 3 months ago
I don't know the mechanics of it all but schools across America, Canada, U.K. and Europe have somehow figured it out and have been able to manage it. The way it is now we may as well piss the money away that is spent on public education because we just ain't getting any bang for the buck. And the lack of education leads to social issues which burdens the police force and the courts and the prisons. So spend the money where it can do some good and mitigate some of the societal problems that beset us. Because the teacher needs to be paid overtime we have a country on the brink of collapse and the highest murder rate in the region.
ohdrap4 7 years, 3 months ago
Poor teachers, now they are being blamed for bringing the country to a state of collapse and the high murder rate.
What crap.
The bank employees have never gone home at 3pm. They stay at the bank working till 5pm or later, except the bank is closed to the public.
Your premises were wrong to start with, and now it is even worse.
Why don't you organize a march to have teachers work longer hours for the same pay and bring some plp politicians with you?
ashley14 7 years, 3 months ago
Dumbing down is the best way to control people.
Baha10 7 years, 3 months ago
Ask Jeff Lloyd and any Long Islander who was schooled in the 1960s about Teachers such as Hugh Cottis ... these are the sort of Teachers required, who are remembered, revered and praised long after they are gone, but whose Students went on to hold all number of positions of importance, both public and provate, in our newly independent Country.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 3 months ago
HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT REVERSE FAILING SCHOOLS????? Take a picture out of the case study ...... South Long Island There is one secondary school (NGM Major High) and three feeder primary schools (LDC, MBush and Morrisville) ....... The keys to success are:
Jeff Lloyd can come to Long Island and see the model for free ....... not go to Finland or Australia
ohdrap4 7 years, 3 months ago
Absolutely. Long Islanders are known for being polymaths, drawing on complex bodies of knowledge to solve all problems.
But they are still going to finland to get a free trip and perdiem.
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrades! The school Jeff will be most remembered for is the one at Cable Beach and we all know how that short lived 'nation's' school - ended up in Delaware? One man's imaginary nation's school that left graduating students tossed out onto the streets and without their promised paycheques...... But wasn't it 'taxpayers' who were left to step in to pay unpaid salaries?
sheeprunner12 7 years, 3 months ago
You really know how to throw low blows ........ did you go to public school???
TalRussell 7 years, 3 months ago
Comrade Sheeprunner12, what I really does know is that the first three red shirts cabinet ministers with the biggest mouths does serve as magnets awaiting any reporter willing talk them - who will within but mere months - find themselves falling into irrelevance - all three man's come to cabinet with baggage carried-over from positions the held out at Cable Beach.
When their 'Kodak moments" does arrive - I will be right out their at the end of the "Izmirlian Dock," with my Brownie camera to record their cabinet exits.
VDSheep 7 years, 3 months ago
The blame game is everywhere about the dumbing down of our children. The blame is three fold ‘ one – upbringing ‘ parents and guardian lack of interest first - in molding the child with the importance of education. Two – the youth ability to respond to proper upbringing. Three – the teacher sincerity in teaching the student. We generally have lost our way for instilling the proper model for education. We allow too much useless knowledge. Cell phones, TV, bad example – the list goes on. Our children will not do better until we do better!
C2B 7 years, 3 months ago
These are the people we give student loans to!!!!! No wonder 75% of them don't pay.
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