The lack of a 12th grade in the public school system may spell disaster for some students, an educator has warned.

Atlantic Union College in Massachusetts' vice president of student affairs, Alma Foggo York, yesterday told The Royal Gazette she was concerned that senior school students who did not gain admission to Saltus Graduate Year or the Bermuda College would not be ready for university abroad.

And without proper motivation, Dean York said, they could lose interest in furthering their education and therefore limit their employability.

Her warning came after visits to CedarBridge Academy.

Dean York, who was born in Bermuda but has lived in the US since she was 14 and returns to the Island three to four times a year, said: "I see the education changes as positive. But it went to the bottom of my stomach when I learned about public school only going as far as the 11th grade.

"I got turned off with this 11th grade because these kids won't fit into the US (college) system. To come in to the system school graduates should have a 12th grade education.'' Under the current local education system students will have to be "superbly motivated to continue their interest in education'' until they become eligible for college, Dean York said.

"But just by speaking to them I noticed that their eyes were glazed over.

They did not seem to know what they wanted to do.'' And while noting that maturation levels varied from student to student, she admitted: "I'm worried about what will happen in this hiatus. I don't want a young person saying I've finished high school and I am not employable. I hope someone will fill in the gap, so when or if they (students) fall through the cracks, someone will be there.

"Maybe maturation will kick in and they will go to Saltus (graduate year) or the Bermuda College. But I think we will miss out on valuable students if someone does not fill in that gap.'' Worry over no 12th grade Dean York, who is on the Island in preparation for graduate student enrichment clinics to be held by Atlantic Union in July under the auspices of Bermuda Institute, said she would be more than happy to be that person.

"To me this is about giving back,'' she said. "Bermuda is my home. There are young people here who are doing some wonderful things.

"The challenge is to keep these young people motivated. Anyway in which Bermuda's business community can interact with them, as big brothers or big sisters, will help.

"But someone has to be there to motivate them and show them they care even though they may not care about themselves.'' During her stay Dean York also had the opportunity to visit Bermuda Institute, her alma mater.

After surveying students there and at CedarBridge on what they want to be, she said she asked them "Do you know who you are sitting next to?'' "When I told them they were sitting next to the CEO of Simmons Alliance or.. these kids came alive,'' she recalled.

"I can remember someone coming in my classroom when I was 12 and saying you can be anything you want to be.'' While agreeing that high schools should have a four-year programme for economic and academic reasons, CedarBridge principal Ernest Payette said Dean York's concerns were not warranted.

"There are always some students who have not fully developed career paths and who are uncertain about what they want to do,'' he said. "But the majority of our students have an education plan. The vigilance is there. Most of our students either go abroad to prep school, Saltus, or the Bermuda College and that prepares them for university.'' Mr. Payette also noted that CedarBridge will have a four-year programme or the equivalent of the US system's grade 12 when education reform is completed.