Technical education expert Michael Stowe last night defended his view that Bermudian males lack an interest or aptitude for academic studies after the Human Rights Commission labelled his comments offensive and prejudicial.

And he added that he believed it was the Commission who was prejudicial for inferring a technical education was inferior to an academic one and that there is something worrisome about Bermudian males being more inclined to technical careers.

Previously, Mr. Stowe, who was the executive officer of the National Training Board and is currently the director of the Technical Skill Centre, told The Royal Gazette educators have commented that a multitude of young Bermudian males don't have an interest or aptitude for academic studies.

He said:<\p>"More than 90 percent of males between the ages of 16 and 26 are very largely uneducated, unskilled, untrained and unemployable.

Mr. Stowe added they would be better served through technical education as "the majority of Bermudian men have a very high technical aptitude."

But the Human Rights Commission said the comments were worrying.

Yesterday, the Commission's chairman Venous Memari said: "We have had a lot of feedback about these comment. I think a lot of people are upset."

"Whilst the article does not breach the Human Rights Act 1981, the headline and the report itself create the perception that Bermudian males have less aptitude for academic studies or academic careers than females," she said.

"Mr. Stowe's conclusions do not appear to be based on a research study and objective analysis."

She claimed: "This article is extremely troubling as it is offensive, prejudicial and reinforces stereotypes that result in distorted perceptions and discrimination."

But last night Mr. Stowe claimed it was the Commission's statement that perpetuated a negative stereotype.

have never created a distinction between academic and technical education, that one is inferior, they do so.

"They are suggesting that I am alluding to the idea that technical education is inferior to academic education and therefore there must be something wrong with our young men.

"A lot of people assume a technical education does not involve academics and that is not so. A trained technician must master mathematics, such as trigonometry, and physics.

"What I am saying is a great deal of young men on this Island have a technical aptitude and they should be encouraged to pursue it, and their high school diploma. There is no course that enables them to receive a technical education, to the industries' standards, while at high school. There hasn't been in 30 years.

"The Commission need to explain why they think there is something inferior about having a technical aptitude."

When asked if his comments suggested Bermudian males had a genetic predisposition to technical aptitude Mr. Stowe sai "Well, yes and no. We are Island people and have survived on this Island for 400 years, not because we could conjugate Latin. A lot of people who were instrumental in making Bermuda succeed had both technical and academic aptitude."