Back in January of 2001, the Institute for Economic Freedom (IEF) - a New Providence-based economic think tank - revealed that since 1992 (up to that time) the Government of The Bahamas had spent over $480 million on education. Despite this fact, even back then, the mean grade average for our public schools was a 'D.' Some seven years later, this is still the case.

Clearly, this suggests that there is a need for serious consideration to be given to introducing some new approaches to imparting education to the youth of this nation. The IEF made some very worthwhile suggestions in 2001 that are deserving of consideration. Included among them were:

* Develop a voucher system, where the government will issue slips to parents for the amount spent per student in the public system. These vouchers could be redeemed at a school of the parents' choice (private or public), for the

promise of better results to slowly transform the Ministry of Education into private schools.

* Government schools should be 'sold' off to interested teachers and investors: This will help eliminate the horrific bureaucracy at the Ministry of Education, or at least simplify it and put the focus back on education.

* Reduce summer vacations to three or four weeks from the present eight weeks: Also, restrict the Christmas break to two weeks to help ensure that children are brought up to their proper grade levels. Teachers are paid for the holidays, so here again, we could get better value for money spent.

* Extend school hours from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. : The extra two hours could be used for managed homework and participation in youth programs. It is imperative that civics, community service and law and order be stressed to at least have these ideas shared with our children.

* Segregate fast learners and the brightest children in a new Government High-type system used in the early 1900s: There will always be children who are smarter than others, and these kids should have every opportunity to succeed in an environment that encourages learning.

* Ensure that students stay in school and prepare them for college: The important aspect of education is that when students finally stop going to school they should be in a position to be productive members of society. Children who are not academically inclined should face a challenging curriculum that would include the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic, in addition to basic computer and a wide range of skills. The present system of social promotion should be stopped immediately. While this may help children's self esteem today, it leaves them functionally illiterate when they are 'pushed' out of the educational system. For students who are not academically inclined, a trade is where they must turn.

* Base teacher's pay on results: We all have to be held accountable for what we produce. Those teachers who excel by producing students with passing grades should be rewarded somehow. Conversely, those teachers who do not perform to the agreed standards should be shown the door if they cannot or will not improve.

With the school year scheduled to end in June, officials at Ministry of Education should mull over these suggestions to see whether any or all of them could improve the system of education that is now in place, with a view to implementing whatever changes may be proposed by the beginning of the school year in September.