Minister for Education, Science and Technology, the Honourable Jerome K. Fitzgerald reminded Bahamians Thursday that the quality of education is not contingent upon how elaborate a building may be.
Rather, he said much depends on how committed the administrator, teachers, parents, students and the community are to the learning process.
The Education chief was in Holmes Rock, Grand Bahama participating in an $11,523,470.00 contract signing for the construction of a Junior High School to service the West Grand Bahama communities.
RCL Construction and Brickhouse Construction will jointly construct the facility which will be a duplicate of the Sister Mary Patricia Russell Junior High School in Freeport.
Mr. Fitzgerald told the large gathering assembled for the contract signing and ground breaking that schools are built based on needs and that the West Grand Bahama community is truly in need of the facility as there has been a population growth.
Also, he stressed that the present Eight Mile Rock School has outgrown its physical capacity. According to the Minister the combined number of primary and high school students from Hepburn Town to West End is approximately 1,750.
The Minister said the proposed new school building is an investment made by the Bahamian Government and its people, and the only return they are expecting is for the students who attend the school to graduate with the new Bahamas High School Diploma.
“Parents must encourage their children to take full advantage of the educational experience but more importantly, to take ownership and responsibility for their education.
“As we invest in this West Grand Bahama community, we hope to yield a return of a 100 percent graduation rate from the day these doors are open until they close.
“It is my hope that the residents of West Grand Bahama will see this new school as more than just a building but the laying of a foundation for a solid future. This is not just a matter of erecting a building for our students, but [that] what is taught and learned ends up building our students,” he said.
The Education Minister said that they could not emphasize enough the importance of igniting a passion for learning in the hearts of students.
Minister for Education, Science and Technology, the Honourable Jerome Fitzgerald as he participated in ground-breaking for the new West Grand Junior High School on Thursday morning, September 8, 2016. (BIS Photo/Vandyke Hepburn)
“We want students to always have a thirst for knowledge. We want learning to be a part of their everyday lives even after they complete their formal education.
“The Ministry of Education’s goal is to increase the high school graduation rate from 50% to 85% by 2030. This is critical for our national development, as our country is only able to grow at the rate that is proportionate to the education attainment of its citizens,” he said.
Mr. Fitzgerald also said that as they increase emphasis on life-long learning, it is his hope that all students throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas would seek to make tertiary education, whether academic, technical or vocational their goal.
He reminded all that education does not stop at the end of high school but rather it is a beginning and that the government has increased its scholarship program, particularly as it relates to Family Island students. He said that Grand Bahama has benefitted much from the program.
As he concluded, the Minister for Education urged all parents to get involved and to ensure that their children succeed in school and use what they learn to serve them well into adulthood so that they can take their rightful place in our society as meaningful citizens contributing to the success of our beloved country.
“This is my Bahamas, this is your Bahamas, together let’s educate our students to create lifelong learners and build a stronger Bahamas,” he stated.
By Simon Lewis
Bahamas Information Services
