Principal lauds ability, potential of staff and students at BCK

Ninety-four students from the Bishop’s College Kingstown, on Tuesday this week, held their heads high as they graduated from the institution that had moulded them for the past five years.

The school, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary, held the graduation ceremony at the St George’s Cathedral under the theme: “Moving forward with thanksgiving.”{{more}}

The ceremony, which began promptly at 9 a.m., saw the procession of the graduands from the back of the church to their reserved seats.

The smiles that they wore spoke volumes, as parents, friends and well-wishers walked out in the middle of the church to capture photographs of their respective graduands.

Presenting the report for the 2013-2014 academic year, principal of the Bishop’s College Kingstown Cecelia Akers-King stated that, while they had a great year, they were faced with a number of challenges, including finances, a shortage of teachers at the start of the school year and continuously having to deploy teachers from one subject area to another.

However, Akers-King stated that despite the challenges, she is encouraged by the ability and potential of the staff and student body.

“I am confident that mistakes made along the way will provide valuable lessons to guide us into the future,” she stated.

Akers-King noted that last year’s CSEC examination results fell below the benchmark of 80 percent — recording their lowest score for Mathematics. She, however, hastened to say that all 65 students were given the opportunity to sit Math.

This year, 85 students wrote the Mathematics exam.

According to Akers-King, they fell in some areas in which they are accustomed to scoring high.

However, she stated there was improvement in other subject areas including: Agricultural Science, Office Procedure, Technical Vocational subjects, Office Administration, Social Studies, History, Geography and Information Technology.

Integrated Science and General Biology were written for the first time at the CSEC level. Also, Chemistry is now being taught at the fourth form level, bringing the total number of science subjects to four.

Presently, 24 subject areas are being offered on the curriculum.

“Although we have not reached our stated goal at the CXC level as yet, I am confident in the teaching and learning process at Bishop’s College,” Akers-King said.

King thanked all the teachers for their hard work, especially Teacher of the Year Ronnie Richardson, who she said went above and beyond his call of duty. Richardson received the Festus Toney Teacher of Excellence Award.

King also made a promise that the school will continue to improve to ensure that they are, without a doubt in the public’s mind, the best co-ed school in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Reginald Thomas, a past student of the institution, delivering the feature address, said the occasion made him reflect on his own graduation as a student at Bishop’s College.

Thomas, the director of the National Insurance Services (NIS), urged the students to let the words of Christ dwell in them throughout their lives.

“Whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus. Give him thanks…,” Thomas beseeched. “What has been given to you must be cherished. What has been given to must be shared. It must be passed on. It must help you. It must help us…,” he said.

Thomas added that while learning is important, there is more to it than just that.

“It’s what we allow learning to do for us and in us… I will never recruit education, as critical and important as that is. I will recruit a good attitude. Because with your learning, you have a good attitude, then you will add to your learning, teachability, patience and the ability to want to learn…,” Thomas said.

During the ceremony, teacher Janelle Thomas paid tribute to the graduands in song and so did the school choir, with their rendition of “If I Could Reach Higher”

Several students were also given special awards in various subjects and sporting fields.

Aldia Gumbs, senior education officer in the Curriculum Development Unit also delivered brief remarks. The closing prayer and blessing was done by Bishop of the Windward Islands, The Rt Reverend C. Leopold Friday.(KW)