The Tribune

WHEN the last round of national exam results came out, they were announced as a success by the Education Minister and his team.

Not so much for the results – which took a big drop – but for the very fact of being able to hold the examinations at all.

So if the measure of success is simply to hold the examinations, what grade do we give the Education Ministry as they warn they may be held later than usual this year?

How far back those exams may be pushed we don’t know yet – Education Minister Jeff Lloyd expects more information on that “within a week or so” – but there would be obvious concern on the effects of pushing exams back to a point into a holiday period, when children might not have the access to the teachers that they need in order to make the most of their preparation time.

There’s also a question to be asked that with the hindsight of last year why exams have to still be the same format in a time of pandemic. Gathering students in a room together and setting them away writing and calculating might be a method that has been used for many years, but does it have to be that way? Businesses and organisations around the world have adapted to new ways of operating during the pandemic – so why not examinations?

Sadly, it’s probably too late for that particular revolution – or for the call to be heeded to use forecasted grades instead of bringing children around others to sit the papers.

In which case, there’s only one thing left to do: Get on with it.

Whatever it takes in terms of resources to get the examinations done, make sure it happens. That includes looking for alternative buildings in some places so there is adequate spacing between students, for the health of both them and school staff.

For some students – those in their final year – too much of a delay could seriously impact their chances to apply for colleges or for jobs. If a college wants to see your grades before confirming your acceptance, we don’t want to set Bahamian youngsters at a disadvantage because at the start of the year we’re not sure if we can hold the exams as we should several months from now, even after we’ve started to administer the vaccine that we hope will keep COVID-19 in check.

So show us what you can do, Education Ministry – after all, you’ve set your own benchmark for success. If you can’t meet that, heaven help the students whose grades are somehow viewed as less important than the exams themselves.

Income tax

The government has started discussing income tax. So says the IMF, but you wouldn’t know it from the silence on the subject from politicians right here.

“The authorities reiterated their commitment to fiscal discipline once the crisis subsides,” the IMF report said.

If that sounds to you as if the government is nodding and saying oh yes, we’ll get right on that, and then kicking the can down the road again, then you’re not alone.

That said, there would seem to be some nugget in there that the government has indicated a willingness to discuss it – and perhaps they should.

It’s a topic that no one likes to talk about, and which frightens people worried it will drive away investors who have come here to avoid income tax elsewhere. There’s truth to that – but if the discussion is being had, it should be done in public, not just behind closed doors in meeting rooms with financial organisations. That way, everyone can have their input.

If it were to happen here, what form would it take? More to the point, what does each party think of the idea and what would be their commitment.

After all, we all know we’re in an election countdown now and there really isn’t going to be a sniff of any income tax while people are looking for votes. But the next government will perhaps have to face this question – whichever party wins the day – and it might be a good idea to know what the leaders think before we cast that vote.