Roadtown Tortola BVI, 23rd  June 2011  - We are in the season where caps, gowns, honours and praises will be the subject and conversation for many. We are in the season where smiles, sighs of relief, tears of joy, and new beginnings will be the symbol of progress. We are indeed in the season of Graduation.

I greet you in the wonderful name of the Great God of The Universe who paves our way to continued success.
For the past three academic years, I have challenged our students of both the primary and secondary public and private schools to aim for 100 percent graduation success rate. As we all know by now, the secondary school graduation results have been released. We are proud of our 98.5 percent territory-wide secondary level graduation pass rate. Now, I am pleased to announce the Primary Five results for all public and private primary schools in the Territory.

I am pleased to say that for this school year 2010-2011, we have achieved an 87.98 percent pass rate at our primary level. This 87.98 percent means that of the total of 391 Class Five students of both our public and private primary schools, 344 students completed the tasks successfully. Although we did not hit our target of 100 percent pass rate at our primary level, I must state that the results are heartwarming. In fact, they are gratifying.

Last year’s territory-wide pass rate at our primary level was 85.2 percent. This means that this year’s pass rate of 87.98 percent reflects an increase of 2.78 percent. Our 2.78 percent increase shows that the newly implemented initiatives, “Let’s Get It!” and the Primary Five Reviews made a difference. Our 2.78 percent increase shows that students, teachers and parents stepped up to the plate. Our 2.78 percent increase shows that our afterschool programmes made a difference. Our 2.78 percent increase shows that our student incentive programmes such as ‘Top Three Achievers’ made a difference. However, our 2.78 percent increase shows that there is still room for improvement. Although there has been improvement in the graduation pass rate at both our primary and secondary levels since setting the bar at 100 percent from three years ago, as Minister of Education, I will not rest until the goal of the 100 percent pass rate is achieved.

While I congratulate all primary schools on their achievements, I must take this time to congratulate those schools that had 100 percent success. These schools include Isabella Morris Primary School, Leonora Delville Primary School, Ivan Dawson Primary School, St. George’s Primary School, B. V. I. Seventh-Day Adventist Primary School, Assembly of God Cornerstone School, Valley Day School, Little Rainbow School, and the Agapé Total Life Academy.

Let me be one of the first to congratulate each graduate-to-be. I commend each one of you for investing in your own future. Your hard work and dedication on this continuous journey of knowledge has proven that the size of your success is determined by the size of your belief. Remember, you are the one who holds the key to what and who you will be. Keep moving from good to great.

Parents, I say congratulations. Your child’s success is your success. It is your continued responsibility to keep your child focused on the things of success. Parents let them know that intelligence and education comes with the commitment to never stop learning. Let them know that you are where you are because of your steadfast commitment and belief in the God of our fathers. Want more for your child than you do for yourself. Help them to see the importance of learning more, achieving more and doing more. Now is the time to aim for much more, especially now when the tree could still bend. Keep moving from good to great.

Educators, you have sweat with your students. You have taught them with conviction and optimism. You made them work to reach where they want to be ought to be and need to be. Thank you for believing in our children, when they found it hard to believe in themselves. Thank you for sticking with them, when they wanted to stray. Thank you for molding, shaping and nurturing their little minds in preparation for their new learning environment. Educators, you must be proud of yourselves because these students are taking with them a little of you. Keep moving from good to great.

I do recognize that 12 percent of you our students are not celebrating and may be feeling left out of the victory circle at your respective schools or in your community. I do understand that you may be feeling dismayed. Instead of tears of accomplishment, you may be having tears of regret.

I am aware that you may be feeling that this is the end. But, I am here to tell you many of us, like you, have fell along the way toward achieving our vision but that didn’t stop us from moving, living, believing and aspiring. This is not the time to give up. This is not the time to wallow in ‘woulda – shoulda – couldas’. This is not the ticket for giving up; this is your ticket to re-focus and move forward, full throttle. And when you do those tears of regret will become tears of joy.

We want you to be successful. Once you do not give up, you will be successful!

Like previous years, different programmes are in place in order to assist those students that were not successful, providing that they qualify for the supplementary programme that will be offered in the summer. Keep moving from good to great!

When I was sworn in as Minister of Education in August of 2007, I made a promise that together we’ll work beyond the call of duty to move our education system from good to great.

Our 87.98 percent primary level Territory-wide pass rate, our 98.5 percent secondary level territory-wide pass rate, our first place ranking in CXC in English in the OECS region, our first place ranking in CXC in Mathematics in the OECS region, our ‘Let’s Get It!’ television programme, our ‘Let’s Get It!’ Primary Five Review programme, our Grade Level Coordination programme, our ‘Top Three Achievers’ programme; all these, and more, are testament to the fact that, as a team, we continue to move our education system from good to great. We are now beginning to enjoy the fruits from the seeds that were planted.

Again, I say congratulations to all our primary school graduates to be, teachers, parents, counselors, support staff, principals and my hard-working staff at the Department of Education.
Let us keep moving from good to great!

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