Education picture not full

This was sent to Education Minister Elvin James and copied to The Royal Gazette

November 19, 2009

Dear Minister,

As a very concerned parent, the recent release of data regards students in the public education system has left me with just as many questions as answers. I am hoping that someone at the Ministry of Education, or perhaps yourself, can assist in enlightening me.

Imagine if you will that my wife sent me to the grocery store to buy a carton of eggs and she warns me not to bring home any broken eggs. I go to the store and open the carton to find that all 12 eggs are absolutely fine. On my way home I hit a speed bump and the egg carton falls. I open the carton and six of them are cracked, but I can't be bothered to go back and get another carton. So I remove the eggs before getting home, and upon my arrival my wife asks me if the eggs are fine. To which I reply: "Honey, 100 percent of the eggs in the carton are in perfect condition!" While my statement is entirely accurate, in no way could it be deemed to be honest. As I'm sure you can appreciate, my wife would be furious that I've only brought home six eggs and that I attempted to mislead her on my success in bringing eggs home.

I offer this simple analogy to express my confusion about recent educational statistics. In one hand I have a government report showing that from 2004 to 2009 graduation rates have risen from 53 percent to 99 percent. In my other hand I have the report on black males that states: "Half of Black Bermudian males who enter the public high schools in the last few years leave without obtaining a certificate." I would have thought that increasing graduation rates during a period of increasing dropout rates would be a mathematical impossibility, unless of course dropouts are being excluded from graduation rates. Of even greater concern to me though, is that the Ministry would obviously be fully aware of very high dropout rates, particularly among black males. Surely this is the kind of statistical fact that demands immediate public attention and action! Why then has the Government waited until the release of the Black Bermudian Males report to say anything about it?

On the heels of all this, we have the recent reporting on GCSE exam results for 2009. If the graduation rate in public schools has increased so dramatically, then by extension I would expect that GCSE results would go up as well. The trouble is that GCSE results have not been made public since 2007. Further, the 2009 results appear to have been released in such a manner that it is almost impossible to glean anything meaningful from them. For example, what we should know at a minimum is how many students wrote at least one GCSE; what was the average number of GCSEs written by students who took the exams; what was the average number of GCSEs passed per student; and with what grades those exams were passed.

When I consider the entire picture, it is absolutely impossible to tell how good or poor public education really is. What I really want to know is whether that 99 percent graduation rate represents students who are equipped to reach their full potential or not. Are we producing students who will thrive in the trades, arts and business? Are we producing students who are equipped to move on to tertiary education? How many of that 99 percent is fully equipped to read, write and count in this demanding 21st Century economy? I can't tell, and I am left with one burning question: to whose benefit is it to withhold, distort or ignore, the cold, hard facts about public education? Surely it is not to the benefit of the parents or the students, because we are the ones who desperately need to know when and who to hold accountable for poor performance – especially when it is the parents who may be a major part of the problem!

Please consider me as nothing more than a parent who is trying to take a long hard look in the mirror, but can't quite see himself clearly because of the foggy reporting on public education. I therefore beg you to be transparent and accountable by releasing education statistics to the public in a manner that actually is helpful. To do otherwise can only make the situation worse than it already is.

BRYANT TREW

Sandys

A need to focus

November 11, 2009

Dear Sir,

The finding that over half of black Bermudian males drop out of high school, from the recent report by Columbia University professor Dr. Ronald Mincy and colleagues, commissioned by the Bermuda Government, rightly highlights the need to focus on education, Education and EDUCATION for the long term welfare of the Bermuda community.

The Bermuda Census of 2000 reveals that the educational attainments of black and white Bermudians are roughly similar up to the high school level. A significantly higher percentage of white Bermudians (23 percent) than black Bermudians (11 percent) then, however, go on to attain a qualification in higher education. This phenomenon has correspondingly significant implications for employment opportunities, earnings, social mobility and, indeed, the general welfare of the whole Bermuda community.

Percentage Distribution of Adult* Population by Race and Bermudian vs Non-Bermudian Status, By Highest Educational Qualification 2000 & 1991

2000 1991

Highest Educational Qualification Total Black White Total Black White

All Qualifications 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

No Qualifications 28% 34% 20% 37% 44% 26%

Bermudian 32% 35% 26% 41% 45% 32%

Non-Bermudian 15% 24% 12% 21% 31% 18%

School Leaving Certificate

RSA, BSSC, GCE, GCSE 29% 31% 24% 31% 32% 30%

Bermudian 31% 31% 30% 32% 32% 33%

Non-Bermudian 20% 29% 17% 28% 33% 27%

Technical/Vocational/Associate 22% 22% 23% 18% 16% 22%

Bermudian 21% 22% 21% 17% 16% 18%

Non-Bermudian 26% 25% 26% 25% 20% 27%

College/University Degree 20% 12% 32% 13% 8% 21%

Bermudian 15% 11% 23% 9% 7% 15%

Non-Bermudian 38% 19% 44% 25% 15% 27%

* Over-16 year olds

Source: 2000 Census

The Bermuda Government's Department of Statistics study "Literacy In Bermuda" (March 2006) reveals that literacy skills by black and white Bermudians are, first, amongst the highest in the world, and secondly, not significantly different. Again, however, it reveals that the attainment of qualifications at institutions of higher education (college, university, etc.) is significantly higher for white Bermudians than for black Bermudians.

An interview of young Bermudian high school drop-outs by the Royal Gazette's Mikaela Ian Pearman (November 9) revealed that these young people thought about their circumstances and had real insights into the nature of education and the education environment in Bermuda. They had dropped out for various reasons, but they still seemed to me to be people who wanted to better themselves, and, by implication, contribute to the community, in their own ways.

So, when education, whether formal or vocational, is at the forefront of people's minds, in the certain knowledge that a well educated community is the bedrock of that community's welfare and guarantee of continued enhancement for future generations, the Bermuda Premier continues to obsess about "liberalising gaming" (translation: allowing gambling) in Bermuda. The rattle of dice, the ping ping ping of slot machines and the rustle of greenbacks funnelling into the Treasury's coffers appear to be the main sounds reverberating between the Premier's ears these days.

I have no particular moral objections to gambling, as such; it's just one of many ways we fools as human beings are parted from our money. I do, however, have a very big problem with the issue of the Premier considering the issue of gambling as some kind of national priority – indeed, any priority – when the Government's energy and commitment could, and should be directed towards the more successful educational attainments of Bermuda's young people.

It is likely that the Government (perhaps the Premier himself) would argue that money from gambling would be available to help improve Bermuda's education system. I say it isn't about the money. The Government Budget for education spending in Bermuda in 2009/10 is $149m – which is a lot of lolly; in fact, more than for any other Government department or Ministry except Health, and 15 percent of all Government Budget spending for this financial year. That $149m works out at around $14,000 per enrolled student in Bermuda. (By comparison, education spending in the United States works out at around $12,000 per enrolled student there.)

What really matters, however, is not how much money there is available to educate people but rather how well we use the money, wisely, efficiently and effectively, to achieve the highest and most appropriate educational standards for the whole community. All the time the Premier and others concentrate their minds on whether to allow gambling in Bermuda is time wasted at the expense of improving the minds of Bermuda's young people.

Education is not an option to be ranked alongside the likes of rolling dice and spinning roulette wheels; it is a matter of national priority; it will dictate how the young people of Bermuda determine what Bermuda will be like well past the sell-by date of politicians, Government leaders and, indeed, croupiers, card dealers and all those unwise enough to even think about playing dice with Bermuda's future.

GRAHAM FAIELLA

London, UK

Memories of Kenny

November 16, 2009

Dear Sir,

Every time I see the name of Kenny Bascome in your paper it brings back good memories of my time in Bermuda. I first met him when he was at Tobacco Bay.

I spent about seven years in bermuda with the Navy and consider him to be one of the best ambassadors you have.

Please pass my regards and best wishes to him.

BILL HIGGINS

USN Retd.