The Royal Gazette Youth Forum aims to provide a platform for the youth of Bermuda studying and living abroad to participate in political discussion. Recently the students discussed the problems with the education system after the 2006 gradation results were released, showing 52 percent of students failed to graduate.

Howard University student Nadir Wade, 23, argued much of the blame falls on the community, not the Government.

He said: "Bermudians have this notion that the importance of education is a responsibility that merely falls on the Government and that it is not a task we must all take on.

"The lack of parental and community involvement in the lives of our youth is deplorable. Parents have given up, communities have given up and we expect the Government to pick up the slack. It wont work.

"While I have this belief, I also believe that the Government has fallen short in various ways. At this point we must evaluate our system, keep the good and remove the bad and perform an in-depth review of what needs to be implemented.

"I also think that the Government must show Bermudians that they are worth their investment. And everyday people must invest time into their community. The whole focus on education has to be changed.

"The way that education is marketed needs to be changed, its importance must be conveyed, not only by words but by action. Our children must understand its importance and appreciate the value of knowledge.

"The system isn't all about the Government, everyone must play a role." Other students in the forum echoed his sentiments and said that culturally Bermuda no longer values hard work and pursuing a top class education.

Katura Horton-Perinchief, who attends George Washington University, argued that Bermuda's youth are exposed to shows on MTV and BET which glamorise other lifestyles, and not the importance of education.

She said: "That fact needs to be propagated to the students. It's okay to dream and to go after those dreams, but one needs a backup plan and that's always going to be education."

She argued that that young men in particular were socialised to believe school was not cool and take care of their own problems.

The 23-year-old said: "They are not encouraged to ask for help when they're in trouble, which I think plays a major part in success or lack thereof in an educational setting. Kids can't learn without asking for help.

All of the young adults stated that over-employment was also an issue, because young people can get decent paying jobs without an education.

Alex Jones, one of the few young adults on the forum who lives in Bermuda, said he is particularly concerned about the state of education leading to a lack of social mobilisation on the Island.

Alex, who attended Eckard College, said: "It's clear that people who don't finish high school are very likely going to be confined to lower-level jobs, but given that there is rising inequity in wages between rich and poor. Our failing educational system is creating an underclass of people. This is a very bad thing."

Katura argued that students need to be pushed to aim higher than "good enough".

While 20-year-old Akilah Beckles, who attends Queen's, argued a major problem was the lack of international acreditation in public schools.

She said: "Right now a Berkeley or CedarBridge student, of a select group of students, is lucky to graduate with one or two GCSEs.

"On that level alone, public education is looked at as inferior to private schools. At the age one is leaving CedarBridge with maybe one GCSE, someone else is leaving BHS or Warwick Academy with eight or nine GCSEs, and an International Baccalaureate diploma, or Saltus with GCSEs and AP courses. That's scary."

Over the coming months the group will explore issues such as the race relations, the environment and Bermuda's political system as well as shedding light on what opportunities they think they have in Bermuda.