Acknowledging that students "learn differently, are differently gifted and differently curious, but are all valuable," Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training Glenys Hanna-Martin said changes to the Bahamas High School Diploma (BHSD) were necessary.
And Dominique McCartney-Russell, Ministry of Education acting director, said recommendations include some modifications to the existing criteria and the need to ensure inclusive policies for special needs students.
Recommendations were made by the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training to amend the BHSD based on recommendations by a 24-member National Review Commission.
Of the six pathways recommended, the ministry amalgamated and agreed to three options.
Option one (general pathway): Four Bahamas Junior Certificates (BJCs) with a minimum "D" pass in math, language and any other two subjects, and a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (CGPA).
Option two (general pathway): Numeracy/Literacy equivalent or BJCs or City and Guilds, and a 2.0 CGPA. The credentials will be channeled through the National Accreditation and Equivalency Council (NAECOB) to the Evaluation and Assessment Division of the Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training. If approved, they will be accepted as criteria for receiving a BHSD.
"We are saying to all that a career in aquaculture, plumbing, electrical installation, and engineering is just as important as a career scientist or mathematician or lawyer," said McCartney-Russell.
Option three (honors pathway): Four BJCs "B" pass minimum in math/language/science, and any other subject, and a 3.0 CGPA.
The non-academic criteria include completion of 30 hours of community service over three years – grades 10 through 12; maintaining 80 percent attendance over grades 10 through 12; maintaining 80 percent punctuality over grades 10 through 12; and participating in 20 hours of job readiness training to be completed over grades 10 through 12.
And the reintroduction of student intervention based on a rolling recovery program. As soon as a student obtains a "D" or "F" grade in a subject, it is expected that they receive academic support and be allowed to recover the grade.
The recommendations also include all students being tracked and those who do not receive a diploma encouraged to participate in Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute's (BTVI) Smart Start program, a workforce readiness certificate program.
Establishing the BHSD oversight committee to ensure implementation of the recommendations; compare BHSD criteria to regional and international school exit competencies and best practices; expand competency/technical-based training through the exploration of heads of agreement articulation agreements crafted to include an education component; reintroduce the national public relations campaign; and improve data entry/data management and monitoring process.
Among recommendations for the class of 2023 was the removal of the 27 credit hours requirement, which were deemed unnecessary. Reduction of the attendance and punctuality rates from 90 percent to 80 percent, to accommodate for extenuating circumstances which are not within the control of students – such as illness or a family emergency. Removal of the three parent-teacher conferences as a criterion for receiving a diploma, so that students are not penalized for compliance failure by parents or guardians. Retaining English language and mathematics as a BJC requirement, but permitting students to submit any other two subjects as BJC subject requirement.
It was also recommended that a BHSD unit be established to ensure the implementation of the revised criteria for the attainment of a BHSD of which one comprises in phase one: two technical officers; phase two: the acting director of education and two additional technical officers. As well as the establishment of a justification and appeals committee which is expected to commence work by August 2023 to allow for students who believed they were disenfranchised to have the opportunity to sit with the committee and present their case.
Also recommended was the establishment of a committee to review the special needs inclusion for which officials said discussions have started and the composition of the team is being identified.
Increased training access from annual to semi-annual and one ongoing cycle were also recommended, as well as a review to the existing BHSD criteria with a view to ensuring multiple pathways accepting equivalent certification options.
The minister of education, in October 2022, launched the BHSD National Review Commission to review the standards of the BHSD, which was implemented in 2014, to track and monitor student learning outcomes.
Students were required to meet eight minimum national standards of national requirements as prerequisites and performance indicators to earning a diploma.
The commission, which comprised six working committees, traveled throughout the country and met with a diverse group of stakeholders who shared concerns and recommendations to determine the best way forward.
Hanna-Martin said June 1 was a "red letter day" in education.
In addition to the adoption of recommendations by the commission, she advised that for the academic year 2023, all students will participate in graduation ceremonies.
"This has not been the practice and previously only those who obtained the high school diploma would mark the end of the school life with a ceremony. This year, every student will attend the graduation ceremony. We want to ensure that our children have hope for the future even if their high school years are not all they hoped them to be."
Hanna-Martin acknowledged the chairman and members of the commission for their "incredible" body of work - work that is ongoing as many of the recommendations were accepted and several are still under review.
"Its work was truly grassroots in its orientation. They went throughout this nation, islands everywhere, spoke with teachers, parents - the community."
Hanna-Martin said the education stakeholders were commissioned to review all criteria associated with BHSD as part of a mandate to ensure that offerings were more inclusive and prepared students to secure entry-level employment upon the completion of high school or for tertiary education.
They were also mandated to recommend pathways to the high school diploma which promoted and celebrated the gifts and talents of students and provided opportunities accordingly for associated credentials.
"For the first time, as I am aware, while students have secured certifications for years in specialized programs of interest, moving forward, they will have approved equivalent certifications recognized on par with national certifications.
"This means that a hospitality and tourism student studying the inner workings of hotels and lodgings and earning an international credential will now be able to have that credential assessed for equivalency and, if approved, be used in place of a BJC to satisfy high school diploma qualifications requirements."
State Minister Zane Lightbourne described the work of the committees as "transformational". He said they are committed to ensuring that the recommendations which have been accepted are actioned in the shortest possible time for the students beginning with the class of 2023.
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