Just over half of all students in the public school system graduated from high school this year, while private school students achieved a record rate of graduation.

Out of the 154 students who started the senior 4 year at CedarBridge last September, just 74 - 49 percent - graduated.

And at the Berkley Institute, 63 students out of the 104 who entered the senior year - 61 percent - graduated.

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.

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

Twenty-three students - including two boys completed the senior year at BHS, which follows the International Baccalaureate Programme.

“All the students will be going off to university next year except for one who has decided to take a gap year,” said Head of School Robert Napier.

All 29 Warwick Academy students graduated while Saltus had a graduation rate of 95 percent.

Three students who entered the Saltus Graduate Year last autumn left before the end of the year, however, a school representative said that all 63 students who sat final exams graduated.

The Bermuda Institute also reported a 95 percent graduation rate. Thirty-five students graduated from the high school, while two students withdrew before year's end.

Of the 41 students who entered Mount Saint Agnes Academy's Grade 12, five did not complete their senior year, resulting in a graduation rate of 89 percent.

Berkeley Principal Michelle Gabisi said the figures have been influenced by a number of factors including changes in the Bermuda Secondary School Certificate. She said the rates of graduation were disappointing, however, she pointed out revisions in the public school system have influenced graduation numbers as well.

“Any rate other than one hundred percent is disappointing,” said Mrs. Gabisi.

Shadow Education Minister Neville Darrell said the low graduation rates demonstrate how Bermuda needed to re-think the education system using international models. He said Government is currently paying more than $1 billion dollars to educate public school children every year - $16,000 per child.

The glossy public relations campaigns and the adds are not ensuring that enough young Bermudians are graduating and are fit to go on to further education and training, he said.

In the UK he pointed out that the Government has designed a reform model for the education system and produced a five year plan where the National Union of Teachers works with different education boards to upgrade the skills of teachers. Students in other countries are also introduced to IT and innovative learning models as early as the Primary school years.

“My heart is for opportunities for Bermudians, but we need to ensure that are national population is educated and fit to compete in the workplace. Our party, the UBP, has put forward an approach to education which measures progress in the classroom and uses a benchmark against scores of countries around the world who are competing bodies,” he said.

When asked why the private school students were outperforming Government students, Mr. Darrell said the private school had a system of accountability where students are driven to succeed. The schools also put a greater accountability on parents to ensure their students are performing up to standard.

“They expect students to be successful, they build resources to ensure they are successful, and they make no bones in saying they have zero tolerance of certain behaviour that lead to under achievement.”

Education Minister Terry Lister is currently off the Island and could not be reached for comment last night.