Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

Businesses expect far too much from school leavers - Hon. Fahie

Businesses have complained that some high school graduates are not prepared for the world of work. Photo: VINO/file
Hon. Fahie. Photo: VINO/file
Hon. Fahie. Photo: VINO/file
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Businesses, who hire students straight out of high school, expect far too much at times and should have a “little bit of patience” while guiding them to hone in their skills.

This is the view of First District Representative and former Minister for Education and Culture, Hon. Andrew Fahie, in a recent interview with this news agency.

His comment came on the heels of Minister for Education and Culture Hon. Myron Walwyn’s disclosure at an East End/Long Look meeting on May 8, 2012 where he indicated his support for the implementation of a sixth year in the High Schools to allow students to be more efficiently prepared for the work force.

According to Hon. Walwyn, the main reason to consider such an initiative is that students “are coming out of school too quickly and can’t find jobs”. And the feedback from the businesses, the Education Minister had revealed, is that many of them are not ready for the world of work, especially when many leave school as early as 16.

But Hon. Fahie pointed out that businesses expect far too much. “They will still need training and I suggest that they train the young employees in the sections of the department they want that individual to work in. It’s a work in progress. All of us had to be guided when we began our first job.”

Commenting on having a sixth form in secondary institutions in the Territory, the former education Minister stated that it should go hand in hand with the accreditation process. He explained that the certification of teachers and the relevancy of the curriculum are key ingredients in the development of the school system.

“We should build on that [the accreditation] while exploring other options for students to be job ready,” he stated.

35 Responses to “Businesses expect far too much from school leavers - Hon. Fahie”

  • real talk ii (21/05/2012, 07:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I agree wid fahie funny man always running his face critical of everything he meets in place just to try and mek fahie look bad!!! He not really interested in our youths just politriks
    • fish market (21/05/2012, 15:25) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Well that is what Myron has to do to stay in make the other guys look bad like they did nothing until he arrived..come on people it’s call POLITICS..watch the game...
  • ooooo (21/05/2012, 08:16) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    after all myron...they came out of high school..not college
    • local girl (21/05/2012, 08:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      What can I say? Every day Myron looking smaller and smaller...Every day we are seeing what a failure he has been in that Ministry...I told Dr. Smith he should have given that Ministry to Deloris or Malone two indigenous virgin islanders…
    • need work (21/05/2012, 09:24) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      but there are college graduates that have the same issues as high school graduates so the brox bummber is spot on.
  • Crap (21/05/2012, 08:31) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    This down island mentality of 6th form and A levels is so 20th centuryish. And it could only be coming from someone like Myron who does not know our culture. I agree that the children are coming out of school too soon, but sixth form is not the answer, because those children lacks maturity long before they got to the 5th form. What we need is to introduce the 6th and 7th grades into our school system and get on with our accreditation
  • jack be still (21/05/2012, 08:44) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Andrew fahie why you a shadow behind myron lol
  • release (21/05/2012, 08:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Now Mr. Fahie making sense with this one!!
    • paper boy (22/05/2012, 00:02) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      TO FAHIE AND MYRON: “As I said there is nothing wrong with failing. Pick yourself up and try it again. You never are going to know how good you really are until you go out and face failure.” – Henry Kravis
  • concerned (21/05/2012, 09:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The solution for this problem is to have a Junior High School. These children are coming out of school too young and most of them are not mature enough to hold jobs. They behave like children on their jobs and you have to babysit them. I agree that you have to train them but Minister Fahie's statement that employers are expecting too much is not a fair statement. I have been employed for the past 26 years and each year the children gets worst in terms of their performances on the Job. You have to spend too much time trying to keep them under control and in the mean time your business is loosing money.
  • Joc (21/05/2012, 09:58) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    These bloggers are so stupid! This is not a down island thing. THey down island kids are much more prepared, competitive that our kids here. It is not 20th century and it has nothing to do with our culture. what culture anyway?? we think we are americans and we are way too americanize here in the BVI. Myron do your thing!
  • Mediocrity? (21/05/2012, 10:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    What are we trying to do, foster mediocrity in the Virgin Islands? I disagree with Hon. Fahie. Employers are not expecting too much from these graduates because most of of the time some of them do not have the minimum requirements for an entry level position. I receive numerous applications and cover letters that sometimes leave me in awe. The most memorable one I have received to date was where the prospective candidate's salutation was "Hey, I am seeking a position in your firm." Is it asking too much to receive at the very least, an appropriate and professional application and cover letter? Why are we sending the message that it is ok to be less than best? What has happened to "From good to great?" Was that just a buzz phrase that had no meaning but sounded good. I think Hon. Fahie's interview contradicts his "Good to Great" mantra.
    • ------------------------- (21/05/2012, 13:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      you NDP cowbirds and paid bloggers start late today...well sah
      • Mediocrity? (21/05/2012, 13:17) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Any one who rebuts intelligently are paid bloggers? You may be very surprised to know that there are other intelligent persons among you that do not need to be paid to voice an intelligent opinion!
      • Not2Sure (21/05/2012, 17:43) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        You know what bothers me about the paid bloggers? They make it so obvious. If you people are being paid to support or attack a position, at least try and do it in a subtle way. Earn your money for goodness sake.
    • Simple Simon (21/05/2012, 21:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Good to great means you have not moved at all; you are on the same level! It's good, better, best; great, greater, greatest. So it should have been good to best or great to greatest, then you would have made some kind of progress!
  • Too Late! (21/05/2012, 11:40) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Fahie GO SIT DUNG!!! What craziness is he talking about employers are looking for too much??! This is a sign of mediocrity on Mr. Fahie's part! The standards of our education need to be raised!
    • stop it (21/05/2012, 13:00) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Thank you Fahie, TIME OUT, Myron needs to stop insutling the youths and downing our students and education system!
  • ausar (21/05/2012, 13:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    I think I have to agree with Hon. Fahie on this one. If our students are unable to pen correctly a curriculum vitae, why can't such skills be a part of the leaving process. Why can't students bring their proposed resume to teachers to properly inspect? We must always remember that our culture and our vernacular plays such an important role in our writing. Most of us could not speak nor write proper English when we were in high school-much less when we got out. Most of us wrote how we spoke especially at that tender age. Advanced schooling was essential for most of us to gather those basic skills. At the age of sixteen, what did we know about resume building? What did we know about proper time skills. Why is there such harshness toward the young? Why is there such insensitivity to these issues, from the adults in this community and the business community? I think the whole employer experience towards school leavers in this country is just biased, discriminative and their statements are just basic euphemisms to keep young Virgin Islanders(British) out of jobs!!
    • wait a min (21/05/2012, 14:29) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      how does myron explain college students coming out of 4 year colleges and universies with the same issues????
  • Iron Lion (21/05/2012, 13:49) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well this is the type of response you can expect from someone with no private sector experience. Fahie has worked for Government all his life so he has no clue how things are done in the real working world. this is not to bring down fahie, i think he was a good teacher and i think he's a decent rep. but until he actually worked in the private sector he should shut up and think before he speaks. you graduate at 16yrs old. you apply for a job. they have an opening for a receptionist/assistant. the job requires you to answer the phone in a proper manner, take messages, send short concise messages to clients, deal with internal staff. the company is starting you at US$1500 per month, paying your insurance in full, this is fresh out of school. all that company can expect from you is to understand how to read and write proper basic English and sadly many out of school cannot cope with that so its nothing about expecting too much. some employers might go overboard yes but thats the minority and fahie need to stop the damn pandering. the students should all reach higher not complain. these are international entities hiring here, they have experience in other jurisdiction where kids of the same age are walking circles around the kids here so what they should lower the bar for bvi? pure foolishness man. that is why government has almost 4000 people and still cant get shit done right because it's all about being from here and nothing about accountability and productivity. thank god fahie is no longer education minister jezuschrist. the ndp team has private sector experience thats why they can relate and make the necessary adjustments. when the companies relocate to cayman, panama and other places then u would say government did nothing. ndp will get 4more years easily even if education is the onlything they fix trust i.
    • eye man (21/05/2012, 14:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      4 more years..my fren dem have to earn dat and dey pll cryin already too much talk and rantin and raving bout no action on dey ground for we dey lil lil man...so not so fast boss
    • hm (21/05/2012, 15:20) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      $1500 per month for a starting salary plus insurance fresh out of high school?...uh..which company is that do tell?
    • Citizen (22/05/2012, 19:54) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Iron Lion, I agree with you 100%
  • @Iron Lion (21/05/2012, 14:30) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thank goodness for someone with common sense. When i interview prospective employees here i am horrifed at the way they present themselves with the initial application and at the interview. They need to remember they are trying to sell themselves to the employer, companies today cannot afford to pay people even at entry level jobs to sit around and not add any value to the organisation. We employ school leavers and know what they should be capable of, sadly many are lacking even the basic skills or reading and writing properly, female applicants usually appear much better educated than their male counterparts. Repeatedly telling the kids mediocrity is acceptable will damage them in the long term, especially if they want to get jobs overseas unless they will be content to stick with minimum pay jobs.
    • Iron Lion (21/05/2012, 15:37) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Exactly! Ausar has a good point but I don't understand how he/she can agree with Fahie when he/she pointed out exactly what is wrong. the teachers and parents need to get involved. when i applied for my first job, i was a good student, got good grades, wrote good English but had no clue about writing a resume. my mom sat down with me and explained how it worked and she helped me to put my resume together. after that i consulted with older folks in the working world on developing future resumes and thankfully now i'm in a position to help other youngsters which i have in the past. so instead of putting the blame on employers why fahie doesnt advocate for local professionals to assist the youngsters? why it always have to be the employers fault? if i own a business i'm not hiring and paying a school leaver to have to turn around and give them a course in simple manners, basic english, speaking and writing. you got to be out of your mind. you can't pay someone that kind of money and be expected to reteach what should've been taught since 3rd form muchless 5th form. crap is crap and we need to set the bar higher. this is why any johnny with a marroon passport and grade III school leaving cert think they can be the boss at any establishment despite the fact they cant read and/or write properly. again to ausar, comparing back in the days to now is bul$sh$$t. we have all the technology and opportuntiies at hand now lets do better. we have no excuse for not being better than we are, none at all. not all kids are going to shine academically but we surely can put more emphasis on the BASICSSSSSSSSSS.
      • in the news (21/05/2012, 17:47) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        'iron lion' when do you get time to do the ppl work on your big consultancy salary???? you spend all day on VINO with the same hogwash over and over...gosh man
        • Iron Lion (22/05/2012, 01:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          I'm not on the government nipples my friend, I fend for myself, you should try it some time, it feels really good!!
  • ausar (21/05/2012, 15:28) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    " @ IRON LION": When I read your post, you don't write any damn better than a school leaver. Run-on sentences seems to be rather common , commas are improperly placed, while your sentence structure lack coherence. TALK ABOUT NEEDING A WRITING TUTOR. AND YOU CALL YOURSELF AN INTERVIEWER? That is what I find on these blogs with many of the so-called employers in this country. They're quick to point out faults about everyone else except themselves. Writing is a skill that must be honed carefully daily. Even the better journalists have proof-readers to properly assess their work. And writing proficency is not honed at the age of sixteen! Trust me, I've been writing on these blogs for years. The crap that I have to read tells me that many behind the blogs are ill-read, lack writing ability and if it wasn't for some minister of a district, most would not have even gotten their first jobs. How dare the coldness toward the young. Perhaps, Andrew you just may be on point on this one!
    • Iron Lion (21/05/2012, 19:33) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      LOL!! You have a chip on your shoulder, get help!! I can bet all the people with your mentality are the ones that are miserable on the job or can't get a job. The people with attitudes like myself, who actually understand what professionalism is, they are happy in their careers and even have their own businesses. You want to bet something on that? How's my grammar this time around, did it pass the 'smell' test? I can type anyway I want to madam/sir, what I write on here has nothing to do with dealing with clients in a professional setting. The point is we need to work with the youth and stop making excuses for them, that's why when they go off-island they catch hell and then finally realize the world doesn't revolve around this little rock called Tortola or the BVI itself. Every post you are on it's some complaint and negativity, nothing is good enough for you, always pure drama and attacks, you must be on your period 20 days of the month!!
  • Psych (21/05/2012, 20:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Is it too much to expect high school graduates to be able to spell simple words, construct a proper sentence and get to work on time? What kind of on the job training do they need for that?
  • teacher john (21/05/2012, 23:33) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    We must continue to lift the quality of our schools and improve our results if we are to remain competitive and help all students reach their full potential..end of story
  • ausar (22/05/2012, 06:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    "Iron Lion", You get an F minus for grammar. As for work, is there such a thing? LOL Good Luck in your Work, "Iron", LOL, LOL!!!!!
    • Iron Lion (22/05/2012, 09:28) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      You cannot dispute what I said, people with attitudes like yours will make it nowhere in life. All you will do is grow old as a silly complainer and ignorant a..ole! LOL!


Create a comment


Submit comment

Create a comment

Submit comment
Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.