Seniors who flunked their final year at both public schools have no choice but the repeat the year if they want their high school qualification ? unless they are simply missing a few credits.

Government spokesperson Ayo Johnson said yesterday the Ministry operates a variety of summer programmes at CedarBridge Academy.

He said these programmes were open to a range of students from both CedarBridge Academy and Berkeley Institute ? including those students needing extra trim to complete their BSC credits ? and run from July 4 to July 22.

?Dozens of students have enrolled in the programme this year, including students from the S4 and S5 years, students with behavioural challenges and those taking advantage of other types of additional support such as enrichment programmes in specialised studies,? he said.

Out of the 154 students who started the senior 4 year at CedarBridge Academy last September, only 49 percent graduated, while 61 percent graduated at the Berkeley Institute.

The combined total of students graduating from the two public schools was 53 percent with 138 students out of a starting pool of 258 leaving with a Bermuda Secondary School certificate (BSC).

This figure was last seen in 1998 and 1999 when half of public school students left school without completing their BSSC.

The numbers improved slightly in 2000 and 2001, with 65 and 66 percent respectively graduating compared to the size of the entry level classes.

In 2003, however, with the move to the BSC system and the addition of an extra year, just 26 percent graduated meaning 74 percent did not ? a figure attributed to a ?disruptive year for students?.

This graduation figure increased to 41 percent in 2004. By contrast, in the private school system, both Bermuda High School (BHS) and Warwick Academy reported 100 percent graduation rates for their senior classes.