By Keile Campbell

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

DAME Janet Bostwick urged alumni of Government High School to form a foundation aimed at restoring the institution to its former glory, calling it a beacon of excellence that once shaped generations of national leaders.

Speaking at the third annual GHS Alumni Phoenix Awards during the school’s 100th anniversary celebrations, the former attorney general and acting prime minister said: “It would be much like the mythical phoenix and rise from the proverbial D average ashes by being the brightest beacon of educational excellence that the entire Caribbean region has ever seen.

She addressed alumni from across the decades, reflecting on the school’s transformation and expressing disappointment at what she called its decline into something unrecognisable.

The school once operated with admission based strictly on merit and academic ability to train Bahamians for the growing civil service and it maintained high academic standards under a semi-independent board of governors.

Dame Janet said alumni who experienced the school in its earlier years were part of a social experiment that prioritised equality at the expense of excellence. She argued that instead of lifting standards, the system lowered them — and the impact, she said, is now painfully clear in the state of education and the capabilities of today’s workforce.

Following the political shift in 1967, the Progressive Liberal Party-led government introduced sweeping educational reforms that included abolishing entrance exams and expanding access to public schooling. While these reforms opened doors to more Bahamians, they also raised concerns about declining academic standards.

The late Dr Keva Bethel documented the school’s evolution in her influential work on Bahamian education. She described the pre-reform GHS as “selective”, producing leaders through “rigorous academic standards” and a “limited but elite” student body. While she supported the move to broaden access, she warned that these “noble efforts to democratise schooling” brought with them “persistent challenges in quality and relevance”.

Dame Janet noted that alums frequently reflect on the school’s past and urged them to act.

“I would love to see those of us who are at the foundation of GHS, those of us who have GHS as our foundation, come together and establish the Government High School Foundation in the name of providing the support towards the re-establishment of GHS as the charter school of academic excellence,” she said.

The awards ceremony, which honoured historical GHS alumni such as the late Dr Bernard Nottage, Dr Keva Bethel, Rev Dr Hervis Bain and Dr Perry Gomez, featured Dame Janet as patron and keynote speaker.

She proudly highlighted Government High School’s contributions to the country, noting that it has produced two former prime ministers — Sir Lynden Pindling and Perry Christie.

“This institution has built over the years a legacy that has matured and nurtured generations of nation builders, students who have gone on to serve, lead, and innovate in all spheres of life,” she said, boasting that the school is also the alma mater of four governor generals, as well as several members of Parliament, and countless upper management members of government.

She recalled with pride how GHS once stood as a national exemplar — a place where academic achievement was the expected norm and where students were shaped not just for exams but for leadership.

“It was a place where values and character were built and honed,” she said. “Where love of country was taught and lived, and where excellence wasn’t just encouraged — it was demanded.”

Reflecting on the school’s ethos during her time, Dame Janet described GHS as more than just an educational institution. It was, in her words, “the foundation upon which the future was built”, a nurturing ground for aspiration, discipline, and patriotic service.