100 students out of school due to failure to meet NIB requirement
NASSAU, BAHAMAS- The Ministry of Education is still trying to track down 2,500 Abaco students in the wake of Hurricane Dorian, Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis announced today.
Minnis said it was likely some of these students are in other Family Islands or private schools.
He acknowledged some children could be among the missing persons still not accounted for in Abaco.
“Some went directly to government- operated schools in New Providence, and did not come through the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium for registration as requested,” he said.
“Approximately 300 students remained in Abaco, not all of whom are in schools, and some students have traveled to the United States.
“We know also that 50 students are at schools in Andros, and that more than 150 are being accommodated on Eleuthera.”
Minnis added: “Tragically, it is also likely that there are some school children among the persons still not accounted for in Abaco.”
More than 1,400 students have been processed at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in the wake of the deadly storm.
Last week, School Registration Coordinator Zane Lightbourne told Eyewitness News Online 1,000 students had been enrolled in schools across New Providence.
However, he said 500 students had not returned to collect their placement letters.
In a communication to the Lower House, Minnis said 100 students attempted to register at the stadium but were not registered with the National Insurance Board. Minnis said the students have not been able to obtain an NIB number, and as such, have not been placed in schools.
“National Insurance is among the government offices present at the stadium, thereby permitting parents and or guardians to obtain National Insurance numbers for their children, so that the children can be placed in schools,” Minnis said.
“The Ministry of Education is clear that there must be a process in place for each student enrolled in a government-operated school to substantiate that student’s identity.
“This is the only registration requirement insisted upon by the MOE for all students entering government schools, whether they be Bahamian or non-Bahamian.
“The NIB number is used to track each student throughout their years in the government school sector,” he added.
How is NIB able to track students throughout their school years, the only way I see that possible, is if they explain and show how it tracks students, is the free government public schools are no longer free education, is it now like the private schools where poor people have to pay for their children school education, they could hardly send their children to school now and is free of charge, so judge if they have to pay for public schooling, the Bahamas is backwards in everything they do, I ask a gain as a born Bahamian who went to public school free of charge, when government did their job and provided everything we need as students, that why it called government school, so how is NIB apart of government school, how is this tracking will take place!? how?
This proves one thing, there are no relatives who are legal residents coming forward to register these children and/or proves many of the dead still unaccounted for, because there is no one to claim them as missing.