Comments on: Dr. Gibbons: School Numbers Decline

By: Jen

Jen — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:35:41 +0000

Best thing is, he DOES care…. His kids went to the most prestigious high school on the island…. Clearly if he didn’t care, he wouldn’t spend 20thousand a year on his daughters education.

By: RobbieM

RobbieM — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:32:35 +0000

@ Somebody’s Momma – I hate to burst your bubble but I am unsure where you are seeing better results from the two senior secondary schools. Over 50% of their graduates need remedial English and over 80% need remedial Mathematics before they can even attempt a college course. These are the realities that exist and need to be seriously addressed by this Government.

By: Rick Rock

Rick Rock — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:24:02 +0000

If you’re talking about setting up Cedarbridge in 1996, Jennifer Smith’s name was right in the middle of it too.

The point he’s making is one you completely avoid, or maybe you just are too dim to understand.

You might want to consider for a moment that the PLP have been IN CHARGE for the past 13 years. If it they didn’t like what the system they inherited they have had plenty of time to change it.

By: JT

JT — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 01:54:48 +0000

Confidence in the public school system is not growing, as stated by Ms. Smith. The PLP’s poor economy is leading people to move away from private schools because they can no longer afford them.

By: Love the facts

Love the facts — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 22:33:25 +0000

It’s clear that Dame Jennifer has managed to shoot the messenger while issuing a press release that ignores the issue and says absolutely nothing. Seriously, did anyone understand that press release?

Here’s the crux of the matter: the census figures for public school enrollment differ considerably from the Ministry of Education’s own numbers for the same time period. So, either the Ministry is inflating the numbers or the census data is inaccurate. Dame Jennifer’s press release was a masterpiece of deflection and obfuscation and never touched this discrepancy.

The PLP’s mishandling of education for the past 13 years is inexcusable. As we approach the election, watch her carefully: as she can’t justify the poor results overall for public education, her default position is to say that Dr. Gibbons/the Opposition is too negative. That’s the spin. Over and over. Too bad she so rarely says anything of substance, and too bad for the kids that the PLP has failed at reforming public education. (But she is good at appearing in photo ops.)

By: JT

JT — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:18:26 +0000

Declining numbers should also mean significantly declining budget if the census is accurate and meaningful. Improved results – if you are using the statistics presented publicly be careful.

By: Can't Take It Anymore

Can't Take It Anymore — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:24:16 +0000

Thing is, he doesn’t care. Look to the root of where this all started and you will find Gibbons name, amoung others, right smack in the middle. I tell you what he does care about, VOTES!!!

By: Can't Take It Anymore

Can't Take It Anymore — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:22:19 +0000

Nope, no messenger here. I’m shooting the horse himself mate.

By: Somebody's Momma

Somebody's Momma — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:01:44 +0000

Delining numbers equal smaller class sizes. Maybe a connection to the better results we are seeing in our public education system.

Keep up the good work school teachers, we appreciate you and your dedication.

By: star man

star man — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 17:39:10 +0000

“The public schools are turning out thugs who go around shooting each other.” No, it’s their ailing families who are to blame.

Under educated children raising children… without fathers present… leading to undisciplined, latch-key kids. That’s the recipe that keeps the local gangs flourishing.

Spurred on by documentary after documentary after documentary on cable television glorifying American gang life. That’s what sparked off the gang killings here: U.S. cable television. Which incidentally has totally Americanized our culture.

And America ain’t the best country to emulate! All in my opinion, of course.

By: Ganja Mon

Ganja Mon — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:01:07 +0000

This is the same UBP member that drove us 250m into this Education system. The opened middle schools, added an extra year on High schools and created the infamous Cedarbridge Acedemy sparking gang culture/ mentality forever.

Now you want to talk about parents taking their children out of that system you created?

There is no way to go back to the old system now and its too late!

You should talk about how many of the UBP members took their children out the public system before 1997 !!

By: You can't be serious

You can't be serious — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:53:00 +0000

No successes out of our public school system right?

By: Family Man

Family Man — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:14:05 +0000

Most interesting statistics. I think we need to form a committee to look into the possibility of creating a special task force to examine these numbers in more detail.

I’m available at a very modest fee.

By: JT

JT — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:04:31 +0000

Imagine what would happen to your taxes if private schools were banned.

By: RME

RME — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:31:52 +0000

The Census should also indicate how many children are being homeschooled! I hope they weren’t lumped into the private school numbers. Homeschoolers have increased significantly in 10 years. It’s not just about expats leaving the island or people transferring to private school.

By: Kinda Lingers

Kinda Lingers — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:06:39 +0000

In addition, most developed countries have less than 10% in private schools – so it is truly the very rich who send their kids there. We are at 40% – what does that tell you about how bad absolutely everyone thinks our public education system is? The public schools are turning out thugs who go around shooting each other. Nothing else to say really other than the fact that females seem to do pretty well under the same situation.

By: Kinda Lingers

Kinda Lingers — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:45:23 +0000

Since last year (Census time) at least two private schools have had to significantly downsize because there are less people entering private schools for the first time ever. Expats leaving by the hundred, and locals whose parents can no longer afford it. So these figures, alarming as they might appear for the public system, only tell part of the story. We are in deep doodoo in Bermuda.

By: james

james — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:41:15 +0000

Yeah, it’s pretty hilarious that someone cares about education in this country.

By: What do we do

What do we do — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:28:30 +0000

One huge problem is the way the Civil Service is set up. When demand for a service increases over the years they rightfully hire more people to meet that demand. Unfortunately, the reverse is not true. When the demand decreases the number of staff remains at the elevated level. I am not suggesting necessarily firing people or redundancies when this happens but at a minimum do not refill posts when staff leave try to reposition them within Government. Otherwise you end up in the position we are in today: too many in Education, Post Office, etc. And not enough in other areas such as Police,

By: longtail

longtail — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:24:32 +0000

And how many Ministers of Education have we had since the PLP came into power???? It has been like a revolving door! The present Government is not committed to education and it shows in the numbers leaving the public school system…..

By: Mad Dawg

Mad Dawg — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:10:03 +0000

Shooting the messenger again? Lame.

By: Can't Take It Anymore

Can't Take It Anymore — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:54:08 +0000

LMAO!!! A former UBP member talking about the education system, hilarious!!!