The Minister of Education has failed our Children
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It is out-rightly unacceptable and appalling for our schools to be in the conditions they are in, after 8 week of summer break. The Minister of Education has failed to provide the leadership and the direction the Ministry desperately needs. For the past three years the BDM has been calling for a Minister dedicated specifically to the Ministry of Education, to date the Prime Minister has done nothing.

The Ministry of Education cannot and should not share Minister with any other Ministry. The Ministry of Education is too important and to vital to the future of our country for this to happen. It appears that the PLP does not care about our children. If they cared, our schools would not have been in the deplorable condition that they are in. No wonder our national grade average remains a “D”. For many years, our children have had to learn in dilapidated schools with little or no supplies.

On Monday the teachers of Carlton E Francis School refused to work because the school had little or no supplies and the condition of the school is not fit for students. In addition, the BDM has learned that many schools throughout The Bahamas were not ready for the opening date of school. Schools in San Salvador, Exuma, Ragged Island, Long Cay, and Grand Bahama were all unprepared for students on opening day.

How can the Ministry of Education make the same mistakes every year? The BDM calls the Ministry of Education’s handling of our schools-share incompetence. The Minister must be held accountable for his inept leadership. In the wake of this year’s disaster in our school system, we are demanding the resignation of the Minister of Education. It is clear that this Minister cannot get the job done. Why should our children suffer because of the incompetence of one man?

This government has failed our children, our parents and our teachers. We cannot allow our children to go through another school year under the leadership of this Minister. In his address to some parents, this past week, the Minister of Education complained that he too is frustrated. If he being the Minister is frustrated, then imagine how our teachers, students and parents feel? The Minister needs to set the record straight and admit the he cannot get the job done and he has failed.

One of the criteria by which a government is to be judged, is by the way it treats its young. For the past 15 years both the PLP and the FNM have not given our children, the future of our nation, the attention and care they need. It is as if they both treat our children as an after thought. Schools throughout The Bahamas have a set date to open every year. Why then, can’t we have our schools ready for our children on that date? Why is it that every year the Minister has to scramble to find some contractor to repair schools after the start of the school semester? Are our children priority for this government? It is evident that the answer is no. If our children were priority for this government they would have done the necessary repairs within the 8 week period of school being closed.

It is awfully shameful that many of our schools are in need of supplies and not fit to accommodate teachers and students. The cabinet has just approved a $216 million budget in June for the Ministry of Education. Why can’t we find supplies for our schools? Why is it that our children in San Salvador are forced to attend school in a rat infested trailer that is still not even ready?

The BDM condemns this government’s handling of our schools and demand that the Minister, who is ultimately responsible for our schools, be removed. We will not tolerate this slackness in the Ministry of Education. It seems that neither this government nor the last government can do any better; they both have proven to be incompetent.


Cassius Stuart
Bahamas Democratic Movement

I have to laugh and cry at the same time, its no wonder that they dont teach history in school the way it should be? if they did we would not have to read articals like this one, plus they should throw in a manditory course on critical thinking in school that would make so many problems go away. Cassius Stuart is incorrect about the lenght of time the schools have been in substandard condition, this was the condition 30 years ago when i was in school, with the election of the fnm as the new leaders i though that this would have changed as this was one of their platform issues, but we did not hold their feet to the fire. The conditions we have in regards to schools is ultimately related to our lack of foresight and back bone as a people, for the most part we take what ever we are given as long as we have our basics full filled, belly drugs and tv we are ok, until this condition changes the chronic apathy of the people the government no matter who it is will do what ever it wants. simple bit of wisdom power seeds nothing without demands.

May be this is a moment for us to define what education is, education has but one purpose and that is to make the student a responsible handler of power, if we had this sort of program in place there would be no schools in a delabidated conditions because students and citizens would fix them, there would not be any lack of supplies because we would find creative ways to get them. its been 30 years now and we still have not come to this point of realization, do for self first, solve these problems stop depending on the government to do everthing.

May be this is a moment for us to define what education is, education has but one purpose and that is to make the student a responsible handler of power, if we had this sort of program in place there would be no schools in a delabidated conditions because students and citizens would fix them, there would not be any lack of supplies because we would find creative ways to get them. its been 30 years now and we still have not come to this point of realization, do for self first, solve these problems stop depending on the government to do everthing.


You know what I sayin!

Stuart, your challenges to the government are fine, but I can see that your messages get limited exposure. I visited your website http://www.bdmparty.com/ the other day and saw that it hasn’t been updated it in a while. How come the information above isn’t being posted there?

Time to step up ‘cause it is the younger generation whose ears and eyes you should be focusing on. With streaming audio and video you will capture a greater audience than written text, especially in our present Bahamian culture where the importance of reading is not focused on. For the people who do not have computers, quite a few have CD players and or DVD players in their houses (even in their cars). You are (used to be) a tech person - Use it to your advantage.

Time to get creative, cause from what I see, those of us who aren’t in the “old boys club” might just need to start our own.

May be this is a moment for us to define what education is, education has but one purpose and that is to make the student a responsible handler of power, if we had this sort of program in place there would be no schools in a delabidated conditions because students and citizens would fix them, there would not be any lack of supplies because we would find creative ways to get them. its been 30 years now and we still have not come to this point of realization, do for self first, solve these problems stop depending on the government to do everthing.


I agree with you some of your points, but as we all know and unfortunately still knows, educating black bahamian children has never been a priority for our colonizers, and now after 30 odd years of independence it is still not priority. I believe that a people together can make a change, but the government of our country should carry most of the blame for the conditions of our schools. What message is being relayed to our children, even as they begin their journey in academia. You are not worth JACK! During their tenure in school, children in the public school system are devalued everyday, and upon graduation what options do they have, to serve in somebodies hotel? Our government has created an extended PLANTATION,Colin Hughes got it right 'From Slavery to servitude'. There must be program to train young people to become entrepreneurs, or not make the idea of recieving a college degree same so out of reach.

Also a serious matter where i think the Bahamas government went wrong, in Freeport there is a school called "Discovery". This school brought with them expatriates, all white, to teach to their children. The majority of the staff are all foriegn, do we not have enough teachers to teach at the schools of the foriegn investors in our country? Or are we not good enough? It is blatant discrimination, and i think that those parents who have their kids enrolled in this school should do some research.

I have always believe, that the government is an extention of the people, therefore if the government is in effective its speaks to the nature of the people. As responsible citizens it is our duty to make the country better in what ever areas it needs, this is where i disagree with you. we are very good as a people to find fault but when it comes time to roll up our sleaves and do work we gat ghost. What i am saying is go out there and fix those schools, make them relevant to the 21 century, change the whole structure of government, this parlimentary system is but another bond of the colonizer, what i am saying is start thinking critically on a collective level for once.
just do something!

I have always believe, that the government is an extention of the people, therefore if the government is in effective its speaks to the nature of the people. As responsible citizens it is our duty to make the country better in what ever areas it needs, this is where i disagree with you. we are very good as a people to find fault but when it comes time to roll up our sleaves and do work we gat ghost. What i am saying is go out there and fix those schools, make them relevant to the 21 century, change the whole structure of government, this parlimentary system is but another bond of the colonizer, what i am saying is start thinking critically on a collective level for once.
just do something!

I totally agree with you, look at the present state of our country in terms of education and progressive economic trajectories. "THERE ARE NONE", Nothing is in place for the average young bahamian to look forward to. I remember when i left high school the feeling of fear i felt. There was no one or nowhere to go, our government and our people have such a salient view of our country and it's future. If the Bahamian people don't get on the ball and make things happen, and get out there and demand change for their children if not themselves, i hate to see where our country will be 10 from now. Espeacially with this Free Trade Agreement act approaching very soon. We will have other very educated people coming to the Bahamas and taking all our jobs. We will have people with Bachelors degrees applying for maid jobs. Maybe I'm extending this just a tad, but it's reality. Like you said we need to step outside of the individual and think about the collective. DEMAND CHANGE!

Education and Youth are two significant elements in building and securing an incessant, thriving society. Unfortunately, discussions on this very same topic are excessive and are never far-reaching. Instead of the unproductive chit-chatter about a subject that is at the core of the survival of a (seemingly) proud Bahamian culture – why not step up to the plate and take a strong stance – a formal Call for Action!

I am certain that for every ACTION taken, there will be a REACTION. The trick is to control the action so as to almost be able to PREDICT the reaction!

If this is an issue of importance to the progression of the Bahamian society and the means to better equipt our youth for an uncertain tomorrow, then for Christ sake – don’t talk about it! Be About it! And now!


Let's Go! :what:

all i know i just read an article online about police officers being posted in government schools and their are people saying there needs to be mini stations at the schools. also there needs to be increased police presence at the mall after 3pm. that article has lead me to believe the public school system in nassau in all aspects is headed in a nose dive. it makes me sad

It's a pity!

I totally agree with you, look at the present state of our country in terms of education and progressive economic trajectories. "THERE ARE NONE", Nothing is in place for the average young bahamian to look forward to. I remember when i left high school the feeling of fear i felt. There was no one or nowhere to go, our government and our people have such a salient view of our country and it's future. If the Bahamian people don't get on the ball and make things happen, and get out there and demand change for their children if not themselves, i hate to see where our country will be 10 from now. Espeacially with this Free Trade Agreement act approaching very soon. We will have other very educated people coming to the Bahamas and taking all our jobs. We will have people with Bachelors degrees applying for maid jobs. Maybe I'm extending this just a tad, but it's reality. Like you said we need to step outside of the individual and think about the collective. DEMAND CHANGE!

To the ever growing flipmode squad, the seventh generation, the non critical thinking block heads (and you know who you are), Comrades, My granola bar crunching dirt worshiping hippie peeps: namaste, its great to be among you again, forty days and forty nights of wondering the earth in both the physical and metaphysical leads to tremendous growth.
Burkina I read your post with great pleasure, its great to see the seeds of new progressive ideas taking root in this very hard soil, but never the less we must tern this intellectual cultural desert, waste land into green fields. I don’t know how old you are but in 1985 I graduated from A F Adderly High school and it was difficult then to find a job back then. one of the crazy rational employers used to deny employment was that you needed so many years experience, but you could not get the experience if no one hired you that was a great one, I don’t look for employment any more so I don’t check the rationales used but it would be interesting to find out what it is. When I graduated I had an idea that I shared with my school mates since I knew most of the 300 and some of them, which was that we as a collective group contribute $20 a week to a fund it could be fixed deposit, various different accounts, use the capital we generate to fund our 10, 20, 25 year reunion, we would also use this money for various investment strategies the sky was the limit, this was back in 1985 I must have been 16 or 17 at the time, but I was ticking back then. But you know what those grade fiends and non critical thinkers said, oh its to soon to be thinking about 10 or 20 years into the future, or who would hold the money, just the stupidest things now guest what 20 years have past and like all other graduating groups they are having cook outs and car washes for the 20 year reunion. A lack of the concept of collective working, lack of vision, the path to freedom is in front of us but a lot of us avoid it.
But I enjoyed your thoughts and look forward to reading more of them and hearing of programs that you are engaged in to rectify things in the Bahamas. One of the task I am involve in currently is education reform, I am engage in a discussion with comrades from the college of the Bahamas and others who have attended various universities working on implementing critical thinking in the school system at all levels.