Education picture not full
This was sent to Education Minister Elvin James and copied to The Royal Gazette
November 19, 2009
Dear Minister,
As a very concerned parent, the recent release of data regards students in the public education system has left me with just as many questions as answers. I am hoping that someone at the Ministry of Education, or perhaps yourself, can assist in enlightening me.
Imagine if you will that my wife sent me to the grocery store to buy a carton of eggs and she warns me not to bring home any broken eggs. I go to the store and open the carton to find that all 12 eggs are absolutely fine. On my way home I hit a speed bump and the egg carton falls. I open the carton and six of them are cracked, but I can't be bothered to go back and get another carton. So I remove the eggs before getting home, and upon my arrival my wife asks me if the eggs are fine. To which I reply: "Honey, 100 percent of the eggs in the carton are in perfect condition!" While my statement is entirely accurate, in no way could it be deemed to be honest. As I'm sure you can appreciate, my wife would be furious that I've only brought home six eggs and that I attempted to mislead her on my success in bringing eggs home.
I offer this simple analogy to express my confusion about recent educational statistics. In one hand I have a government report showing that from 2004 to 2009 graduation rates have risen from 53 percent to 99 percent. In my other hand I have the report on black males that states: "Half of Black Bermudian males who enter the public high schools in the last few years leave without obtaining a certificate." I would have thought that increasing graduation rates during a period of increasing dropout rates would be a mathematical impossibility, unless of course dropouts are being excluded from graduation rates. Of even greater concern to me though, is that the Ministry would obviously be fully aware of very high dropout rates, particularly among black males. Surely this is the kind of statistical fact that demands immediate public attention and action! Why then has the Government waited until the release of the Black Bermudian Males report to say anything about it?
On the heels of all this, we have the recent reporting on GCSE exam results for 2009. If the graduation rate in public schools has increased so dramatically, then by extension I would expect that GCSE results would go up as well. The trouble is that GCSE results have not been made public since 2007. Further, the 2009 results appear to have been released in such a manner that it is almost impossible to glean anything meaningful from them. For example, what we should know at a minimum is how many students wrote at least one GCSE; what was the average number of GCSEs written by students who took the exams; what was the average number of GCSEs passed per student; and with what grades those exams were passed.
When I consider the entire picture, it is absolutely impossible to tell how good or poor public education really is. What I really want to know is whether that 99 percent graduation rate represents students who are equipped to reach their full potential or not. Are we producing students who will thrive in the trades, arts and business? Are we producing students who are equipped to move on to tertiary education? How many of that 99 percent is fully equipped to read, write and count in this demanding 21st Century economy? I can't tell, and I am left with one burning question: to whose benefit is it to withhold, distort or ignore, the cold, hard facts about public education? Surely it is not to the benefit of the parents or the students, because we are the ones who desperately need to know when and who to hold accountable for poor performance – especially when it is the parents who may be a major part of the problem!
Please consider me as nothing more than a parent who is trying to take a long hard look in the mirror, but can't quite see himself clearly because of the foggy reporting on public education. I therefore beg you to be transparent and accountable by releasing education statistics to the public in a manner that actually is helpful. To do otherwise can only make the situation worse than it already is.
BRYANT TREW
Sandys
Memories of Kenny
November 16, 2009
Dear Sir,
Every time I see the name of Kenny Bascome in your paper it brings back good memories of my time in Bermuda. I first met him when he was at Tobacco Bay.
I spent about seven years in Bermuda with the Navy and consider him to be one of the best ambassadors you have.
Please pass my regards and best wishes to him.
BILL HIGGINS
USN Retd.
Seize PATI opportunity
November 23, 2009
Dear Sir,
Recently, we marched on Parliament for the chance to speak out about democracy and to demand a change in the way that we are governed. Now we must speak out again and strongly implore that the Bermudian public seize this opportunity to do the same. Now is your chance to speak up about our right to information.
The PLP website is asking citizens to review the draft legislation for Public Access to Information (PATI) and send your comments to pati@gov.bm. The deadline is November 30, 2009 less than one week away. You can find the PLP webpage by following this link http://www.plp.bm/node/2190 . Once on the page, click on the words "released a draft bill" and follow the link.
Many people ask what they can do to help Bermuda and the answer is to make PATI legislation retroactive. We are urging everyone to send their opinion to either pati@gov.bm or hand deliver your submission to The Cabinet Office, ATTN: PATI. Our Government is asking to hear your voice by November 30, 2009. Please make your voice heard.
THE BERMUDIANS
Janice Battersbee, Erica Rance-Cairah, Anne Hyde, Pat Ferguson, Marti Chiappa, Gilbert Pitcher.
The Bermudians are a not-for-profit non-partisan association whose two main purposes are to advocate for good governance and to mobilise the people of Bermuda to act with unity and respect toward one another.
Tired of divisive rhetoric
November 2, 2009
Dear Sir,
If the three former UBP Parliamentarians the Hon. Shawn Crockwell, Mark Pettingill and Donte Hunt are really serious about forming a third party their timing couldn't be better than now to begin a very vigorous no holds barred programme and campaign and I do mean "Now" before we reach the end of November and December. The time is now if you mean business, to begin your campaign and I mean a vigorous one to attract not only the youth but many of the 50-year-olds and over who desire a change in the direction the country is heading. People are getting tired of the divisive rhetoric that they have been subjected to these past few years.
When you think that there has been a bit of a lull, it rears it's head again. i.e. "One down and one to go" in reference to the demise of the Mid Ocean News. Mark my words, If anyone out there thinks that will be the end of it, you better think again. Is there a hidden agenda out there that many of us are too blind to perceive? So I'm telling you three former UBP Parliamentarians again that you better get moving now that the time is ripe because later will be too late and I'm sure the three of you realise that politics can be a ruthless no holds barred game and if you are not tough enough to play in it; get out. A few years after the PLP's 1998 victory and their two victories after that — 2003 and 2007, a more ruthless American style of politics emerged in Bermuda which I'm sure many of you remember, so as nice and even as spiritual anyone of you three reformist may wish to portray yourselves, there has to be an element of toughness in the mix without having to get down and dirty. If you want to play the game and I'm sure you do, learn how to play it as well as and even better than your opponent and I don't have to spell it out to you to whom I'm referring to.
My mind reflects back to the PLP's 2007 election rally that was held at the West Pembroke School field and how Shawn Crockwell bore the brunt of much of what was said at that rally. He was unjustifiably and viciously and verbally attacked in a way which he did not deserve. I never heard of him responding in kind to the verbal attack that he was subjected to on that particular night. He chose not to stoop that low for which I applaud him. So Shawn, being the God fearing guy that I know you are, you should have no fear of toughening yourself up for the battle ahead because this latest poll did not accurately portray the many who are in the corner of you three guys and as I mentioned at the beginning of this letter. The time is now, not later to get your programme up and running. Good luck
LOOKING FOR CHANGE
City of Hamilton
P.s. I apologise if I overemphasised the use of the word ruthless in my reference to the American style of politics because reflecting back on the Obama Campaign, which was conducted in a very vigorous but dignified manner very much unlike the PLP's style during their run up to the 2007 election which could only be described brutal and ruthless, which I feel was totally uncalled for and I have often wondered why they resorted to such undignified tactics when they would have won I'm sure without the use of them. What were they afraid of?
Cost of pier overrun
November 16, 2009
Dear Sir,
Let's do the maths ... the over-run on the pier at Dockyard would have paid for an average of a four-year college education for 1,000 students.
That is, 1,000 Bermuda youths whose families can not afford a college education for their children.
O yeah, (and while we're at it), the penalty caused from issuing a contract at the airport when one was already in effect could have paid for another one hundred and ten Bermuda youths whose families can not afford a college education for their children.
Wouldn't it have been nice to see scholarships afforded rather than – well – what?
UNCOMMON SENSE
St. David's
Good exposé
November 13, 2009
Dear Sir,
Congratulations on your expose of Government's overspend at the Dockyard cruise ship terminal. The unfortunate aspect of this mess is that the general public would never have known the truth if you had not published the results of your investigation.
Usually there are safeguards built into negotiated civil contracts to prevent this type of behaviour. In particular, mobilisation fees should not exceed the internationally accepted norm of ten percent. In this instance we are approaching an obscene 25 percent up front payment.
This is just another example of our Premier putting the cart before the horse where a concept that is probably commendable becomes very untidy. Where the money went should be the subject of an immediate investigation.
Much has been written about the UBP's $2 million "extra" on the prison but that pales in comparison to what the PLP has allowed to happen at Berkeley and Dockyard. Add to it the $3 million they squandered paying off BAS and the huge costs they incurred defending a ridiculous case trying to silence the media, one has to wander when all this madness is going to end.
Meanwhile the general public, the PLP's employers, have been robbed again.
WHO'S KIDDING WHO
Warwick
