Bermuda faces social unrest and a divided society unless parents start making public schools their first choice, the chairman of the board of governors of Berkeley Institute Calvin White has warned.

Noting the Island has the highest percentage of students in private education in the civilised world, Mr. White said: "This must change or we will ultimately create a divided society of those who can have access to opportunity and those who do not.

"This is a recipe for national unrest and social disaster. I have good news tonight - it will change and it is changing," he told the Berkeley annual prize-giving night on Thursday.

He said the school was going "back to the future" with its new "core values" programme to instil ethical standards and respect for self and others to produce world-class students.

Berkeley had a tradition of providing leaders in all fields, and there was no excuse now for not producing the best students, he said.

Mr. White praised the support of Government, but added: "Bermuda must throw off the cloak of apathy that has stifled public education and work together for the best solutions for our children.

"Berkeley is not about making excuses. Berkeley is about making progress, about driving constructive, productive change.

"Berkeley, by its commitment to these core values, will do these things. We have done it in the past, and with these core values driving the delivery of education at Berkeley, we are going back to the future."

School principal Michelle Gabisi reinforced the need to produce scholars who also had a strong ethical grounding.

"In our quest to produce students who are literate, numerate, knowledgeable, articulate thinkers, we must also develop young people with a strong moral and ethical character," she said.

"As a school measuring its success by the quality of its product, we have deliberately chosen to allocate time to inculcating these fundamental values in our students."

The school took the decision to teach these core values as a fundamental part of every element in the curriculum.

Mrs Gabisi singled out for praise students from three years for achievement in academics and personal improvement and school spirit.

They were Taqua Talbot, Celia Medeiros, Kara Simmons, Kennette Burgess, Jesse Almeida, Steven Caisey, Derricka Golding, Marica Burgess, Kaurie Daniels, Shahnel Woodley, Attiya Talbot, Ebony Fray, Michelle Trott, Taniesha Brangman, Latoyia Brunson, Jahvon Washington, Neil Phillips, Desiree Waldron, Tianna Saltus, Kenten Trott, Estina Francis, Deidra-Lee Bean, Erinn Smith, Vania DeSilva, Shalane Dill, Yerodin Nesbitt, Mylinda Johnson, Dawane Fubler and Keivin Crane.