The Tribune

Recently, the instructors involved in the Bahamas Maritime Cadet Corps (BMCC) held a conclave to discuss both progress and challenges.

The organisation is now in previously uncharted waters in that there were 449 students nationwide who had attended at least one class during the month of October. These are numbers which have never been achieved in their 20-year history.

In addition to these unprecedented numbers there is further achievement in that there is at least one student from at least 25 schools in New Providence and also a home-schooled individual.

In New Providence alone, there are over 200 cadets with the vast majority of them attending classes at the original campus at the CR Walker High School which houses just under150 students. There is a second campus at the Anatol Rodgers High School. After just the first three classes of this academic year there were 90 students who had registered at that southern campus.

For the first time there are more female than male cadets enrolled in the marine engineering segment of the programme.

The BMCC has also expanded to now include a total of six islands, namely Abaco, Eleuthera, Inagua, Grand Bahama, New Providence, and now, Exuma. The centre at the LN Coakley High School opened on September 19 with a total of 24 cadets. There are three schools on the island with students who are eligible to participate in the BMCC.

All of this success did not come without its share of challenges, as there were logistical issues in transporting the cadets to and from the two locations where classes are held. In fact, literally very island is experiencing some sort of transportation challenge or another.

Having immediate access to sufficient classrooms as well as the availability of sufficient instructors to cope with the surge in numbers also had to be addressed. Rather than turn students away, the programme coordinator has had to return to the classroom and serve as an instructor at the Anatol Rodgers School.

Further growth and improvements are expected as the BMCC seeks to expose high school students to the opportunities which currently exist and those expected to become available in the immediate and near future within the maritime industry.