The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

Good, better and best are the clear and present options we may select from as The Bahamas moves beyond its first half century as an Independent nation. As far as the area of education is concerned, the choices should be clear. We may or may not have a good system now, but it certainly can be made better. Just when The Bahamas would achieve the best possible educational system is the question we should be focusing on now and into the near future.

Recently, there has been some talks about adjusting the standards or criteria for students graduating from public secondary/high schools. At this point, from my perspective, it would appear to be a glorified version of social promotion, which would mean codifying that popular dance; one step forward - two steps backwards.

Without debate or argument, we should all be able to agree that our schooling system here in The Bahamas was revolutionised with the advent of (coalition: small “c”) Majority Rule government. Prior to that time, a majority of Bahamian students were necessarily finished with their schooling at 14 years old (give/take a year or two, on either side of that number). So, the establishment of many, many high schools throughout the archipelago must be seen as a step forward.

With the proliferation of public secondary schools came a broader diversity of subjects in the curriculum. Additionally, teachers’ qualifications were mandated to be at a higher level. Just how and exactly when tragedy struck might not be easily ascertained. But, “social promotion” entered the school system. The old practice of failing, staying back/repeating a grade, and special classes all went out the window. Everyone passed. You studied, you didn’t study, you got good grades, you got bad grades, it didn’t matter. “No reward without work” was just swept out of the classrooms.

Some serious studies may be done to confirm my suspicions, but I believe that it was around the same time that indiscipline (from primary school to secondary school) crept into the classrooms. Of course, it didn’t stay just there. Like all negative infections, it spread to the playgrounds, the streets, and just about everywhere these unchecked students wandered. Nowadays, we can see its growth and development with the increasing truancy, violence, coupled with belligerence among a growing number of students. Putting police officers in schools or even in classrooms seems to be but another part of that popular dance; one step forward - two steps backwards.

Hold on, there’s one more step backwards which makes the dance smooth and distinctive. That other step backwards would be a new policy of the Ministry of passing the diploma baton to those who are bound to break off running in the opposite direction --- instead of forward, upward, onward together. With or without the blasting music from who-knows-where, that popular dance ain’t about to stop no time soon.

Here’s another one of my crazy ideas: How about giving all students a fair chance for the first three years of schooling? After that, assessments can be made about their potential; academic, technical, vocational, artistic, as well as related interests. At such young ages, nothing could be assumed to be definitive, so temporary streaming might be implemented and adjusted as appears suitable. By the time students reach junior high school level, they should be paired with areas of interest and abilities. Of course, some hearts will be broken (especially unrealistic parents), and egos may be slightly bruised, but Reality Street is the best one to proceed on if we look at the bigger picture; forward, upward, onward together.

Finally, consideration must be given to the archipelagic nature of The Bahamas. Some method must be devised to afford all students, throughout the 700 islands, rocks and cays, the same opportunities, no matter the size or distance their communities may be from the capitol.

In some cases, computer technology with online learning might be possible. In other cases, more innovative options would be needed. In any case, we may keep on doing what we’ve been doing, or even what the Ministry has recently proclaimed, and keep looking for different outcomes that will never come.

Alternatively, we may search for, and find, some real answers to some real problems facing us in these next 50 years of an Independent Bahamas.

Otherwise, that dance of one step forward - two steps backwards, will remain quite popular. Shall we dance?

MB

Nassau,

June 8, 2023.