Haitians outperform Bahamians
By NOELLE NICOLLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
nnicolls@tribunemedia.net:
HAITIAN children are out-performing Bahamians in the public school system, senior government officials have revealed.
And they are excelling because Haitian parents "recognise the importance of education" as a "vehicle for progress".
An official told The Tribune: "I can assure you in many of the public schools, children of Haitian parentage are indeed excelling."
No statistics were available to show the number of children of Haitian parentage in the public school system. However, one senior official said in some inner city schools the number is "large".
At a workshop for public school administrators and board members yesterday, concern was raised over Haitian children receiving all of the "benefits" of the Bahamian education system.
Samuel Johnson, member of the Centreville Primary school board, said he was worried that all of the "benefits, awards and certificates" go to Haitian children, while Bahamian children walk away empty-handed.
He suggested the government may need to look at a system where "non-bona fide" Bahamians have to make a contribution to the cost of their education.
Desmond Bannister, Minister of Education, said there should be no discrimination of Haitian children in public schools.
"We have a responsibility to educate every child in this country. We are not going to do anything less. That is the civilised thing to do. We cannot have any kind of discrimination against any children. For a civilized country that subscribes to the United Nations convention, it is our obligation to ensure children are educated. Any country that discriminates against children labels itself as a barbaric society," said Mr Bannister, speaking at the workshop.
Mr Bannister said when Bahamian children walk to school they have no books in their hands, their pants are in their socks and they hang down, while Haitian children have their bags and books in tow. He said Haitian parents walk their children to school and pick them up.
Mr Bannister said he went to several graduations, and he saw few Bahamians, men in particular, showing interest in their children. He said the Haitian children were flanked by their entire families.
"Take an interest in your children. Our children are not dumb. They have potential," said Mr Bannister, but too many of them "are raising themselves."
He recounted the story of a boy he met, who was in junior high school and had to work nights to raise $600 per month to pay rent for himself and his brother because of "parental neglect."
Bahamians do not have sufficient "motivation for academic excellence" because people do not see an intrinsic value in education, and "the need for educational excellence in order to achieve a good job does not exist," according to one educator.
"Our people live at a very high standard with a low level of education. They have access to the quantity of material things without having to have a very good standard of education. We have to understand that quantity of living does not necessarily equate to quality of life. What quality is about is a certain level of civility, of compassion, of respect for the environment, respect for the rule of law and the democratic processes," she said.
Mr Bannister said when he came out of high school a lot of his peers went to work in the hotel industry; they got "well paying jobs", were able to buy "wonderful cars", build apartments, and live comfortably.
"I understand that we have a whole part of our society that doesn't value education. There is much more to education than (material wealth). Education is important for you to be able to live and exist in society competently; to interact on a daily basis and make a difference in your country. Many of us are losing the ability to reason at a level that allows society to go on," said Mr Bannister.
The lack of education in Bahamian society is evident in the level of public discourse, the level of reasoning, the inability of people "to settle disputes in a rational manner," he said.
Mr Bannister said the important thing was for Bahamians to have the same kind of commitment to education that the generation of his parents and grandparents had.
July 17, 2010
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