Bermuda College students preparing for this year's exam season will have an opportunity to study late into the night.

The College yesterday began keeping its library open until midnight every night to give students access to vital resource material. The extension of the opening hours will last until May 7, when the exam timetable ends.

Although books will not be able to be removed from the library, students will have access to computers and other resource material -- as well as having a quiet place to study.

The initiative came from the students themselves who approached Academic and Student affairs vice president Dr. Donald Peters.

"It's the end of semester and end of year exams for our students right now,'' Dr. Peters said.

"It's the first time in the history of the school that we're providing this facility and I'm pleased to say it's an initiative taken by the students themselves.

"This proves to me that Bermuda's students are willing to go that extra mile to be successful -- that's exactly what you have to do if you want to not just pass but get an A.'' Throughout the two week exam period students will be responsible for securing the college facilities at night.

Dr. Peters also took the opportunity to dismiss recent remarks made by Opposition Senate leader Maxwell Burgess. Sen. Burgess expressed concern at plans by the college to develop a four year degree programme, saying that Bermudian students could develop a fish bowl mentality if they were not encouraged to study overseas.

While Dr. Peters conceded that there might be some advantages in studying overseas, he stressed that the quality of education offered by the college was first class and less expensive.

"There's no evidence to suggest that studying overseas is better,'' he said.

"There might be some advantages in studying in a big country like Canada but academically, there's not even anything close to our curriculum -- a lot of community colleges are geared towards the workplace.'' LIBRARY LIB