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Alleged investigation of 98% pass rate aimed at destruction- Hon. Fahie

- Supports retracting school leaving certificates if allegations true
The 98.5% pass rate is the highest overall graduation success rate at the secondary level in the Territory for the last 10 years. Photo: Andre 'Shadow' Dawson
Hon. Walwyn (left) had said an investigation into the 98.5% pass rate would be done. Former Education Minister Andrew Fahie said the move is politically motivated.
Hon. Walwyn (left) had said an investigation into the 98.5% pass rate would be done. Former Education Minister Andrew Fahie said the move is politically motivated.
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Former Minister for Education and Culture Hon. Andrew Fahie says the alleged investigation of the 98 percent pass rate achieved by students at the 2011 school leaving examinations seems to be politically motivated and aimed at destroying rather than improving the education system.

Speaking to Virgin Islands News Online, the 1st District Representative further stated that if the alleged investigations are true and the process was found to be illegal then he would support that the school leaving certificate be retracted.

“However, if no illegality on my part was found then I demand an apology not only to myself but to the hundreds of students who worked hard for their certificates and to the dedicated and hard-working teachers that supported them.”

In November 2011, the newly appointed Minister for Education and Culture, Hon. Myron Walwyn had said he was looking into allegations related to the 2011 secondary graduation rate of 98.5 percent, noting that he had the information on his desk but was taking his my time to go through it.

Very loud in his criticism of the pass rate was Independent First District candidate in the November General Elections, Preston Stoutt, who had called for an investigation into the matter. One of the criticisms was that students were allowed to sit supplemental examinations before graduation rather than after.

“This seems to be a political process aimed at destruction rather than an effort to improve the education system,” stated Hon. Fahie

“Lastly, if the allegations of this type of investigation are true let us be reminded of what my people in the 1stDistrict have taught me over the past 12 years, which is if destruction is your motivation then your motivation becomes your destruction.”

In 2011, the Territory achieved an overall 98.5% pass rate, which is the highest overall graduation success rate at the secondary level in the Territory for the last 10 years. The 2010 success rate was 91.1% and in 2009 was 93.3%.

25 Responses to “Alleged investigation of 98% pass rate aimed at destruction- Hon. Fahie ”

  • she the cat mother (06/02/2012, 07:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr. Myron stop wasting your time causing confusion and campaigning. The election is over dude and you won!!..govern the place now deman.
  • critic (06/02/2012, 07:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    a witch hunt...that's all this is
    • licks (06/02/2012, 11:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      I AGREE "CRITIC" YOU SEE WHAT THEY DOING TO CIVIL SERVANTS WHO THEY BELIEVE SUPPORTED THE VIP....WHAT A EVIL GROUP
  • hi (06/02/2012, 07:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Mr. Fahie you don't waste your time with that lizard head man you say focus and positive.......
    • no sa (06/02/2012, 09:43) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      how you going to call him lizard head. lol a lizard head actually looks better!
  • insider (06/02/2012, 08:13) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    He full well know half of those students DID NOT really pass. The scores were fixed. The only persons who will suffer is the children. This is why we have so many unemployed. They cant even write a decent letter. We need to fix the system. If you only expect 50% as a pass that is what you get from a lot of these poor kids 50%
    • Partially tru (11/02/2012, 16:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      @insider Maybe true but no papers is a even bigger reason for no employment
  • Drew (06/02/2012, 09:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Walwyn you will get what is coming to you.you so dam ugly....4 YEARS SOON COME...
  • Mary J (06/02/2012, 09:44) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Myron hush with your evil and political rhetoric but investigation.....waste of your time in office
  • saying (06/02/2012, 09:47) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I agreed with Hon, Fahie let it rest already move on and better the education system for 2012 that’s all I have to say over and out
  • Not2Sure (06/02/2012, 10:08) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The investigation *is* a waste of time, but only because everyone already knows that the 98% pass rate was BS caused by Fahie allegedly cutting the score needed to pass. As Dr Johnson once said: "A man would rather hear 100 lies told about himself than one truth he would rather not be heard." That is why he is so angry - this is a truth he would rather not have heard.
  • more or less? (06/02/2012, 10:30) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    so that is what i voted for Myron to do? gosh
  • BREAKING NEWS (06/02/2012, 10:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Political motivated?????? When is election? Next week? lol. Yawning..............We want the facts so please investigate!!! When I hire someone I want to make sure that what is on their resume is not a lie!!
  • En Dee Pee (06/02/2012, 10:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The truth is . . . . . . . . . . they watered down the education system, to a level that accommodates lazy students and little effort. That is why our High School graduates cannot speak, write or read simple complete sentences without making multiple errors. The parents' attitude supported this, because they have left the burden of raising, encouraging and monitoring their children on the teachers, instead of insisting on knowing where they are, and punishing them accordingly. They want their children to be their friends, instead of cutting their backside, teaching them respect and tolerance, and sitting and genuinely listening to what their children have to say. But that is past. We need to be looking ahead, not trying to blame Andrew. We want to know what the current Minister of Education is going to do, to allow the standard of teaching and education that the BVI so proudly boasted of in the past is once again back in our schools and available to our children. That is what we voted for, and by the way, I agree with other bloggers - elections IS over.
  • doing it (06/02/2012, 10:59) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    ha ha yea Myron investigate he..he up and down kissing up behind NDP let Fahie tek that...
  • In Retrospect (06/02/2012, 11:04) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Andrew Fahie seems to be in a panic and I don't understand why. If he believes, as he has said repeatedly, that nothing was wrong then why is he worried about a review of the system over the past three years. It is ridiculous for him to continue to delude himself into thinking that everything done under his watch was great. I suggest the opposite is true. It is imperative that reviews are constantly done to ensure integrity and quality improvements in any system. Moreover, it wasn't just NDP supporters calling for an an investigation, there were people across the political spectrum. The more noise he makes the more he confirms in our minds that something was amiss. True, many of us believe that he made a mockery of our education system with his grandiose ideas of going from “good to great” without establishing any performance metrics by which to gauge the success of the system. Quality assurance is not just a figment of someone’s imagination, it is a construct that helps to guide and measure the things we set out to improve. In effect, it helps us to raise our standards and maintain a certain level of efficiency and productivity. The recent job fair is a prime example of why we need to improve on the quality of our education. It is not enough to graduate students; we must go one step further in equipping them with the skills necessary for survival so that they may function at a level of proficiency when they are gainfully employed.
  • town man (06/02/2012, 11:13) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    he doing it so we can c da level it was wen he took over and where he going to take it. If he get it to 97% u guys would say Fahie did a better job
  • Truth Hurts (06/02/2012, 11:19) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The fact is that the pass rate and grade scale has been lowered to accommodate a pass. the integrity of the system is flawed and needs to be fixed. Right now we are reaping what we sow!!! Low standards from students results in low standards in the labor force pool. I have seen some applications and needless to say it is appalling. This is not a sign of good to great as Fahie claims. If there is tampering, it needs to be exposed!! Once exposed, then we can fix the problem and move on. This is our youths and future of the Territoy we are talking about here!!! Not a former Minister's ego.
  • games (06/02/2012, 11:48) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I always taught Mr. Myron was about business....not these petty political games.
    • hot (06/02/2012, 16:12) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      you got to give him a break he is a rocky he blood hot he will learn...
  • Thinker (06/02/2012, 13:36) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    So with all the unemployment in the BVI we still have people who support lowering the bar for our students instead of teaching them properly in the first place. I have seen resumes from some of these people and I want to cry. It's not even funny. How can you, whether local or expat really hire these students? You will have to train them yourself from scratch before they can do one bit of work. Unfortunately those days are gone. Companies want people who can hit the ground running. Yes, some are willing to train, but some of the cases are very serious! A lot of these kids need to go back to school and it's thanks to people that think like Fahie. This is not about Fahie. he wasn't the only education minister over the past 15-20yrs. It's bigger than Fahie but he wants to make it about himself. It's about recognizing that our system is outdated and we need to bring it up to speed, simple. Instead of working with Myron he is making his mouth loud digging a deeper hole for himself.
    • youch (06/02/2012, 18:13) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      I agree with you. I have seen and talked with some of those unemployed youths and I am sorry Mr. Walwyn but they need more help than I can give. I understand why some are having such a hard time finding work.
  • bvi (06/02/2012, 20:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    You people need to stop talking what you dont have facts to prove. Did you see anyone lower any bar to accommodate the children passing the exams? You people too like hear-say, and then you go running your big mouths. If you all children dumb and cant pass a simple school leaving exam, that's too bad. I know my kids worked hard for their passing grades and no one lowered anything for them. Stop making our children look like dummies with you all dumb comments.
    • Ty-Rexx (07/02/2012, 18:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      I am of the "BVI" too, and yes, the standard HAS been lowered, and that is NOT heresay.


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