The Bahamas' academic and educational failure has "prevented it from achieving its objectives for its own citizens" and empowering them economically, a New Providence-based economist has argued, with unemployment remaining high even when the economy was 'booming' during the 1990s and early part of this decade.
Ralph Massey said the "uncomfortable and embarrassing reality" was that despite high levels of economic growth and foreign direct investment in previous years, this nation's unemployment levels remained stubbornly high because Bahamians were not equipped with the skills and literacy to obtain jobs and exploit an expanding economy.
The economist, who played a large part in compiling the Coalition for Education Reform's reports on the Bahamian education system's failings, also described the Department of Education's much-lauded 10-year plan as a "bureaucratic puff piece".
He said this was effectively why Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham had rejected the document, which was presented at July's 2009 Education Summit, because it "did not identify the education problem or present creditable remedial actions".
Addressing the Rotary Club of south-east Nassau, Mr Massey said the European Union's (EU) 2008-2013 country strategy paper for the Bahamas had connected the 'dots in the puzzle' when it came to the education system's failings, the lack of skills and qualifications plaguing many Bahamian workers, and the long-term implications this had for the nation's economic growth and social cohesion.
The EU paper, whose contents were first disclosed by Tribune Business earlier this year, noted that Bahamian unemployment rates had averaged 10 per cent since the 2001 recession, which was sparked by the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.
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Ralph Massey said the "uncomfortable and embarrassing reality" was that despite high levels of economic growth and foreign direct investment in previous years, this nation's unemployment levels remained stubbornly high because Bahamians were not equipped with the skills and literacy to obtain jobs and exploit an expanding economy.
The economist, who played a large part in compiling the Coalition for Education Reform's reports on the Bahamian education system's failings, also described the Department of Education's much-lauded 10-year plan as a "bureaucratic puff piece".
He said this was effectively why Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham had rejected the document, which was presented at July's 2009 Education Summit, because it "did not identify the education problem or present creditable remedial actions".
Addressing the Rotary Club of south-east Nassau, Mr Massey said the European Union's (EU) 2008-2013 country strategy paper for the Bahamas had connected the 'dots in the puzzle' when it came to the education system's failings, the lack of skills and qualifications plaguing many Bahamian workers, and the long-term implications this had for the nation's economic growth and social cohesion.
The EU paper, whose contents were first disclosed by Tribune Business earlier this year, noted that Bahamian unemployment rates had averaged 10 per cent since the 2001 recession, which was sparked by the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.
Discuss Add this link to... Bury
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