BAHMIA
08-23-08, - 08:12 AM
Education is not only an academic phenomenon but also a cultural one, according to the minister of education.
Carl Bethel recently expressed the need to ‘Bahamianize’ the curriculum in primary and high schools throughout the country.
"Culture is very important to what you do in education that is why ever since the early 1990s with the task force on education report, it was realized the critical importance of ‘Bahamianizing’ the curriculum any extent possible," he said.
Minister Bethel then compared the educational system of The Bahamas to that of China.
"In China, you have a very strong confucius culture, a very strong culture based upon obedience and subservience where you are taught from the beginning who’s on top and who’s on the bottom," he said.
"That is a very good matrix on which the Chinese have focused a very disciplined approach to education but it is also greatly assisted by their culture that is more than 2,000 years old."
"In The Bahamas we have to find ‘Bahamian’ ways to achieve the same result."
Minister Bethel pointed out that that is the struggle that the officials in the ministry have been engaged in.
"We cannot impose a method of education that is culturally inconsistent with or at odds with the Bahamian culture," he said. "What we have to find is the ways to drag out from our culture all that is best about it."
He pointed out that in the Bahamian culture there are commitments to excellence.
"One only needs to look at the things that we do whether it is our cultural commitment to excellence such as in the sailing profession and productions in Junkanoo," minister Bethel said.
"We need to find Bahamian ways to draw from each person all that is best in keeping with the traditions of our culture."
"We need to ignite in every child and every parent, a burning desire for their children to achieve their dreams through education."
The results from the 2008 Bahamas Junior Certificate (BJC) and Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE), that were recently released, showed marginal improvement from its results.
More than 60 percent of the grades awarded for the BGCSE examinations were between "A" and "D," according to information released by the Ministry of Education on Wednesday.
The information shows that thousands of candidates who took the Bahamas Junior Certificate (BJC) examinations not only improved this year’s results more significantly however, improved the overall national average.
In past years, the Ministry of Education has calculated and released a national average based on the national exam results.
I get the obedience, but subservience? Carl, come on now. Also, isn't this counter-inituitive? Bahamian culture inherently is based on laxness and slackness and pulling from certain parts to achieve overall excellence will be the challange. Bahamian like Junkanoo (and sailing for the most part, but it's the Regattas that we're hooked on). Maths and (proper) english, not so much. So, does Carl need his meds or does he have a point here?
Carl Bethel recently expressed the need to ‘Bahamianize’ the curriculum in primary and high schools throughout the country.
"Culture is very important to what you do in education that is why ever since the early 1990s with the task force on education report, it was realized the critical importance of ‘Bahamianizing’ the curriculum any extent possible," he said.
Minister Bethel then compared the educational system of The Bahamas to that of China.
"In China, you have a very strong confucius culture, a very strong culture based upon obedience and subservience where you are taught from the beginning who’s on top and who’s on the bottom," he said.
"That is a very good matrix on which the Chinese have focused a very disciplined approach to education but it is also greatly assisted by their culture that is more than 2,000 years old."
"In The Bahamas we have to find ‘Bahamian’ ways to achieve the same result."
Minister Bethel pointed out that that is the struggle that the officials in the ministry have been engaged in.
"We cannot impose a method of education that is culturally inconsistent with or at odds with the Bahamian culture," he said. "What we have to find is the ways to drag out from our culture all that is best about it."
He pointed out that in the Bahamian culture there are commitments to excellence.
"One only needs to look at the things that we do whether it is our cultural commitment to excellence such as in the sailing profession and productions in Junkanoo," minister Bethel said.
"We need to find Bahamian ways to draw from each person all that is best in keeping with the traditions of our culture."
"We need to ignite in every child and every parent, a burning desire for their children to achieve their dreams through education."
The results from the 2008 Bahamas Junior Certificate (BJC) and Bahamas General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE), that were recently released, showed marginal improvement from its results.
More than 60 percent of the grades awarded for the BGCSE examinations were between "A" and "D," according to information released by the Ministry of Education on Wednesday.
The information shows that thousands of candidates who took the Bahamas Junior Certificate (BJC) examinations not only improved this year’s results more significantly however, improved the overall national average.
In past years, the Ministry of Education has calculated and released a national average based on the national exam results.
I get the obedience, but subservience? Carl, come on now. Also, isn't this counter-inituitive? Bahamian culture inherently is based on laxness and slackness and pulling from certain parts to achieve overall excellence will be the challange. Bahamian like Junkanoo (and sailing for the most part, but it's the Regattas that we're hooked on). Maths and (proper) english, not so much. So, does Carl need his meds or does he have a point here?