PLP On Public School Education Exam Results
“We, in the PLP, note the grades published by the Ministry of Education in last week’s press statement. We, especially, commend those students achieving at the highest standards and say congratulations to all students on their accomplishments,” Shadow Minister of Education Lovitta Foggo said today [Nov 3].
“On a whole, the PLP is happy to highlight that the level of achievement is reminiscent of years gone by and it continues to demonstrate that, on average, our students are performing.
“However, at the middle school level, there remains a concern regarding outcomes which are reflective of a disconnect in how the three levels of the system interact.
Slideshow from last week’s press conference showing exam results, click to move to next slide:
Ms. Foggo continued, “This adolescent period is difficult for students, but we must find a way to ensure increased results. We cannot lose our students at this crucial, intermediate phase!
“In March, 2013 the PLP announced that, should it be returned to government, it will dismantle the failed middle school system and return to primary and secondary schools only.
“This is a recommendation advanced by Dr. Hopkins and a measure we believe will promote better alignment of the primary and senior curricula and will increase confidence in our public school system.
“This can also enhance positive peer pressure, as exposure to more senior student role models will exemplify the behaviours beneficial to school success for new students. We believe this will lead to improved performances for the age category of students currently in the middle schools.
“We continue to encourage both staff and students to do their best and to strive for excellence in all facets of their educational careers. We applaud all for their efforts.
“Let’s continue to build roads to success for our students and for Bermuda; and let’s also have the courage to advance tough reforms to improve the school system so as to ensure that it is working as well as it needs to,” concluded Ms. Foggo.
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- Dr. Gibbons Responds To Shadow Minister - Bernews.com : Bernews.com | November 5, 2014
You had 14 years to dismantle the School system. YOU DID NOTHING !!!!!
Something has to be done the IGCSE results (which are the only important ones), are appalling. Bermuda’s children deserve better teaching. They can never expect to play a role in international business if they don’t pass IGCSE maths. The pass rate is A-C.
I still don’t completely understand what will be different if there were no middle schools.
The system will be staffed by the same teachers and overseen by the same set of civil servants and learning the same curriculum. Right?
What will improve with the removal of the middle school system and why wasn’t it completed as the Hopkins report was issued eons ago?
Totally agree. Just like Berkley…the PLP threw money (lots and lots of it) at bricks and mortar and kept the same teachers and the same system and yet expected different results.
Exactly, what needs to be done is a development of a cohesive transitional curriculum that will help students move from lower, through middle and into senior school. The important note should be that not all students learn in the same fashion, so multiple strategies need to be employed, with early identification of students’ learning patterns so that they can be kept engaged and taught in the most effective way for them. Ultimately, whether we have 2 school levels or 3 has very little impact, the important factors is having an education system that can engage the students and a strong family support for that at home. For that later, there is the sad fact that there are actually parents out there that tell their children that an education won’t get them anything, or that expects the education system to install discipline and direction in them. There are also unfortunately students who’s parent or parents have to work too many hours and aren’t able to be at home enough to provide them with that important parental support. Strong family and out of school support is one of the most critical factors in our children’s education and is the one factor that government can’t control. While government is responsible for ensuring the curriculums are well developed, the teachers are able to engage and teach, we are responsible for ensuring our children are as engaged in their education out of school as they are in.
In just a few short sentences Ms. Foggo demostrates that her party is completely out of touch…with reality. Hopkins report was completed in 2007. Over 7 years ago…and while the PLP were in power. What did they do? nothing.
It was the Plp who came up with the plan to have middle schools they should have kept it just the way it was. Now they have concerns. Smh everyone wants to play the blame game and nobody would stand and take the blame when something goes wrong. That goes for Both parties
No sir/madam. The PLP did not come up with the middle school concept. This was conceived and implemented under the UBP.
You all need to do your homework on the 11+ exam and how it lead to the point where we are now , thanks to politics , in terms of the current education structure and middle schools .
You need to do some research before you make statements. The Middle School system was implemented in the late nighties, through the foresight of two former UBP Education Ministers; Dr. Clarence Terceira and Gerald Symonds. It must be noted that the opposition at the time (PLP) suggested on numerous occasions that it was a bad idea and it would lower the standard of education. Not long after the Middle School system was implemented (roughly 18 months) the PLP won Government for the first time in 1998. Now I ask you, should the PLP have completely overhauled the education system again, after the former government had just spent millions of dollars changing the system that had not long before been initiated, or would they right to stay with it and attempt to make it work out???>
Some fiction in there. Far from saying it was a bad idea, Jennifer Smith was part of the committee that approved of the establishment of middle schools and Cedarbridge.
And if they felt it was a bad system, it is strange that they waited until March 2013, 6 years after the Hopkins Report and 4 months after losing the election, before saying so.
UBP idea completely it was handed to the PLP. Facts straight please.
How many education ministers did the PLP have in their reign ? Foggo, you have lost touch with the real word in regards to education….
How many has the Oba had in less than 2 years
There was no so-called ‘statement’ in March 2013 saying they would do away with middle schools. It’s not on the PLP website, and actually that month the Education part of the budget was passed in parliament with little discussion. Sen Rabain at the time, in the budget debate, praised the new government for “continuity” and “avoiding the temptation for wholesale change”.
Either Foggo is full of sh1t, or Rabain had no idea what his party was supposedly announcing at the time. Either one is equally likely.
Link to the statement, or it didn’t happen.
That was to do with Cambridge, great first step by the PLP,now to bring back the concept of the 11+exam, students should have to strive to attend the once prestigious Berkeley.
The PLP are a disgrace.
There’s really not too much to celebrate here. A passing grade is a grade from A to C period. With that, the OVERWHELMING majority of our kids have failed. It’s really not time for politicking from either party. Let’s just roll up our sleeves and get to work. Parents need to start demanding accountability first from their own kids. If you haven’t seen notes, homework or projects in a few days, call your kid on it, and if need be contact the teacher!
Schools need the freedom to hire the best and fire the rest. Bermuda is in the world’s highest teacher salary bracket, we can and should have only the best at that price.
Don’t forget that we also spend almost $4000 MORE per student per year than the most expensive private school. Where is all of that money going? St David’s somewhere most likely to pay a bunch of seat warming paper shufflers.
Oh yeah, & where are the parents, BOTH of them, in all of this?
Go to a private school for a parent teachers meeting vs a public school & see how full the hall is.
Back in the days when we had schools like the former Bermuda Technical Institute we had youngsters admitted at 12 years old while there had been also others that were in their late teens. This had been for myself an influence, as I’m sure for countless others also. Some of the senior students were principals / head-boys, the school policemen to us that were at that time youngsters
Believe me, we did respect them and somewhat emulated them.
Today we no-longer have that influence in our schools and just maybe it is time to reintroduce that form of teaching…It will not only improve the youngsters capabilities academically but will, (to a great extent) make them more discipline.
Whats up with the blame game? It was plp…no….ubp….no…nlp…no…oba….no….kbb….its OUR kids….OUR country….OUR problem. …OUR future is at risk…WE need to fix it….START with reviewing the standard and attitudes of so.e of our teachers. ..Ive heard numerous teachers state that the “hate” their job, but love working with kids…we need teachers who “love” their jobs….