Students Joshue' Paulos and Kenton Trott are set to leave their public senior schools this summer for newer pastures, but are hoping to leave something good behind when they say their final farewells.

The two teenagers have been working with the Ministry of Education and their schools to create Bermuda's Education Strategic Team (BEST) and its objectives.

They each gave their input into how the public education system could be improved from a student's perspective, and said although they wished the BEST initiative had been launched five years ago, they hoped it brought many improvements for the future.

Joshue', who attends CedarBridge Academy, said when stakeholders in education first got together last summer to discuss the way ahead for the Island's schools he first expressed concern that the programme be followed through to the end and not forgotten about half way through.

He said: "I have seen in the past new ideas come about and great plans and visions, but then as soon as members of the community don't agree, we change it to suit them and we never stick to the original plan.

"I was concerned that once BEST was completed and we were ready to move on it, it would be changed again.

"But coming out of BEST, I would like to see the music and arts programmes pushed more in public schools. "At CedarBridge we have a strong business and computer curriculum, but we have very good artists and musicians and I would like to see them have more opportunity, equipment and technology."

And he added: "I find it great that principals, teachers and the private sector took time out of their personal lives to come together (last summer) to help improve the system for us. They have their careers, but they are doing it to make the system better for the students."

And Kenton, of Berkeley Institute, said he was interested in seeing the public system concentrate on praising students for doing well, rather than on punishing them for doing bad. And he said both himself and Joshue' helped to create the new mission statement.

"I said I wanted to see more incentives for students and higher teacher morale. We also said we wanted to install more programmes for the high fliers, as well as those who were doing average or not as well.

"We want everyone in school to be pushed more."