Government has reported an 80 percent graduation rate for the 2006-7 public school year - a 22 percentage point increase on the previous year.

Out of the 213 S4 students enrolled in 2006-7, 80 percent have now graduated with their Bermuda School Certificate, according to the Government figures released last night.

Taking summer school into account, Cedarbridge Academy reported a 76 percent pass rate while Berkeley Institute reported 86 percent. The BSC pass rate for the 309 pupils in the Bermuda Public School System in 2005-6 was just 58 percent., meaning that

In a press statement last night, Education Minister Randy Horton said: "At that time, I was not satisfied with those results and, as a consequence, pledged that this Ministry, its principals, teachers and even the students themselves would redouble their efforts and improve these rates by a commitment to teaching and a commitment to learning.

"When Principals Kalmar Richards and Michelle Simmons revealed their graduation successes earlier this summer, I recall the question that hung over all of our heads - 'What changed?'."

Many parents may be asking the same question following the damning Hopkins Report earlier this year. Just six months ago a team of education experts led by British professor David Hopkins concluded Bermuda's public school system was "on the brink of meltdown".

The team were brought in to undertake an independent survey into why more than half the Island's senior school students were failing to graduate.

They called for a "rapid raising of standards", claiming that a quarter of lessons were taught inadequately, the curriculum was inconsistent and principals were failing to ensure quality teaching.

Among the team's recommendations were the introduction of external assessors, staff performance reviews and the monitoring of each pupil's progress. They also recommended CedarBridge Academy and Berkeley Institute join together in a federation.

Last night however, Mr. Horton said that the 80 percent graduation rate was down to hard work by pupils and teachers, combined with extra-curricular tutorials and study guides.

Commenting on the question of 'What changed?', he said in a statement: "Though the answer to this question can easily be offered by those directly involved in the education of our students, allow me to share with you some of the important things that have been happening at CedarBridge Academy and The Berkeley Institute."

"At CedarBridge Academy, in order to ensure that parents and students were well aware of what was expected of them, graduation requirements were emphasised throughout the entire school year.

"Students were given study guides for final examinations, and to match the increased need for student study time, the school library extended its hours. Tutorials were offered in every subject, and in some cases teachers held Saturday classes."

"At The Berkeley Institute, a homework club was established and made accessible to all students who were repeating the year. One of the main objectives was to ensure that homework assignments were being completed and handed in on time.

"S4 students were mentored on a one-on-one basis by faculty members during their study period and the mathematics department offered free tutorials at lunchtime and after-school to any student who was in need of assistance.

"To assist parents in monitoring their children's progress on a more frequent basis, eight grading periods - quarterly and mid-quarterly assessments - were sent home to parents."

Mr. Horton said: "I commend all of them for their collaborative effort in making the improvement. Steady progress is the sure way of ensuring a lifetime of success.

"We, at the Ministry of Education, Sports and Recreation, have begun a process of changing our education system from the ground up and have been all too aware that this process would provide the Ministry with an opportunity to fully grasp the depth of recovery needed to place this education system on the right track.

"Along the way, we believe that if all our educators, administrators and all those charged with implementation of this very important reorganisation sing off the same sheet of music, we would be met, on this journey, with true indicators of our progress.

"Together, the Ministry, the Interim Board, the Educators and the Parents are determined to meet the present and upcoming challenges head-on with a renewed commitment to each other and to the betterment of our students."

Meanwhile, Mr. Horton said participation in the 2007 Terra Nova Test was at 97.8 percent.

"As you are aware, the Terra Nova Test is a measurement of how well the system is performing and allows comparison with student peer groups in North America," he said. "It is administered to all students in P3 to S2 year levels.

"With minimal exceptions, our Island's young people were required to take the test in Language Arts, English and Mathematics. The 2007 tests were successfully implemented with an average participation rate of 97.8 percent."

However, among the 24 areas used as yardsticks to measure growth in reading, languages and mathematics, 15 revealed less than a full year of academic growth, with six highlighting "cause for concern".

Mr. Horton said: "In six of the 15 areas there is cause for concern, further investigation and may require targeted interventions. As we all know, we are presently in the midst of implementation of a strategic plan based on the findings of a comprehensive and independent review (the Hopkins Report). The Ministry on a whole, inclusive of the Interim Review Board and the CEO, expects to see a rise in those scores as we turn the review into tangible success."

Shadow Education Minister, Dr. Grant Gibbons, was unavailable for comment last night.