A Government senator has apologised for criticising his party’s handling of the education system and claiming it had not made the grade.

Senator Marc Bean made an impassioned speech in the Upper House last week. He told senators the education system was failing its young people and needed drastic change.

“My Government, from 1998 to today, has failed,” he said. “I give my Government a triple F.”

He argued that although the education system was put in place before the Progressive Labour Party was elected into Government, the party had not done enough to improve it.

“It’s like we bought a house built on sand and instead of fixing it we’ve changed the curtains and we’ve changed the tiles,” he said last week.

His statements came during a Senate discussion on the Mincy Report — a study released last year on the employment, earnings and educational gaps between young black males and their same-age peers.

Senator Bean was heavily criticised for the statements by colleagues and party members and yesterday issued a formal apology. “Upon reflection I recognise that my words may have created discomfort among the hardworking men and women in this Government who since 1998 have striven to overcome the failed education system, the economic inequity and the institutional racism that we inherited from the former Government.”

He continued: “Much has been accomplished since 1998 and to diminish the many achievements attained since then would be a disservice. I am reminded however of the work that remains to be done to elevate our people to our rightful place in our society.

“While I applaud our success, the work that remains undone stands before us and we must all pledge to give all the effort, make the sacrifice and remain focused on the proper direction that we must pursue, in order to take Bermuda forward.”

At last week’s Senate meeting Mr. Bean spoke about a planned effort in the 1960s to marginalise black males in society and now, 50 years later, the plot was beginning to “bear its fruit”.

He claimed that while the Island’s private schools had remained unchanged, public schools had adopted more “liberal” teaching strategies and thus become diluted.

He also called for students to be taught African history, as well as European history, so that black males could take pride in learning they were more than just slaves in the past.

Yesterday, he said his statements were not an attack on the important contributions to public education made by Board of Education chairman Darren Johnston, Berkeley Institute board of governors chairman Craig Bridgewater, former interim education board chairman Philip Butterfield and Board of Education member Patrick Tannock.

But he disagreed that the four were the archetypes for success for young black men as stated by Shadow Education Minister Grant Gibbons previously.

Instead, the Junior Minister of Tourism said he would like to see entrepreneurs such as Donna Pearman, Sanz (Kitty) Pearman, Herman Tucker, Kyle Bridgewater and Belcario Thomas honoured and looked up to.

“I recognise that not everyone can reach the pinnacles of the business community just as not everyone can own and successfully operate their own business.

“Let us begin to see the value of those who have struck out on their own and elevate them as prominently as those who have defied the odds and risen to the top of their professions,” he said.