Education Ministry To Hold Meeting With PTAs
The Ministry of Education will host a meeting to solicit feedback from Parent Teachers Associations [PTAs] regarding the proposed public school reorganization on Thursday, 5 March at the CedarBridge Academy.
Last month in the House of Assembly, Minister of Education Wayne Scott said that the Ministry of Education faces a 5% budget reduction [approximately $5.9 million] and this coupled with a decline in student enrolment has “left us little choice but to consider restructuring the way public education is delivered.”
In a statement today, Minister Scott stated, “The Ministry of Education is both committed and required to meet its budget allocation.
“After careful consideration of these two factors: the economic imperatives coupled with demographic trends such as a declining birthrate and a pattern of decline in enrolment, we have made the difficult decision to consider school restructuring and the closure of schools at the preschool and primary levels.”
Minister Scott added, “No decision has yet been made on whether schools will be closed, which by extension means that no decision has been made on the closure of particular schools. That is why it is important we meet with one of our key stakeholders — PTAs —before decisions are made.”
“In January 2015, the Government directed the Ministry of Education to reduce its budget without compromising the quality of instructional services provided to students,” a spokesperson said.
“In order to help achieve budget reductions, the Ministry of Education has been asked to examine public school restructuring in order to meet a target of $1 million in savings through school closure.
“The meeting is an opportunity for PTAs to obtain additional information and give feedback on the issue of public school reorganization. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 5 at Cedarbridge Academy.
For additional information and to view the document titled ‘Public School Reorganization: A Consultation’ visit www.moed.bm, or see the document below.
The ‘Public School Reorganization, A Consultation’ follows below [PDF here]:
Give all PARENTS a Voucher so they may pick the school of their choice
for there child/children to go to.We all pay TAXES for the Education budget.
CLOSE all schools that are under used,savings in Payroll(teachers) electricity,maintance and ground keeping.
The Ecconomy is not coming back.
As we do not have the young people to keep it driving forward.
Old people do not start families,buy/rent houses,buy new cars,furniture etc etc etc.
Were are the Bermudians to fill the 11,300 work permit holders jobs ????
Without the Expats we would have little or no economy at all.
Pick your feet up off the ground bluebird. A decline in student enrollment is a load of crock. All primaries up to end of middle school have more than one homeroom for the students because there’s too many for a class. Some have three or four homerooms. There are students living in the east end who go to schools in the middle of the island because there’s no room in the east end schools. Where will they put the preschoolers when they already have the rooms filled with P1 students?
There are public schools that have only half their funds are contributed by government and the other half by private trustees. The public schools don’t have enough funds to supply students with text books for their subjects so the students have to share the same book or work off photocopies.
Declining birthrate is also a load of dung. Many Bermudian women are just becoming smarter and not having children until they are able to support them. There are still those who have children too early and the minister has done lectures on that topic so he’s being a talking contradiction.
It’s all about them saving the dollars for their own agenda while the children suffer.
Nonsense, some schools only have 75 students. Do your research.
Largest number is West Pembroke with 257 on average. Lowest is Victor Scott with 104.
75 would be reasonable if they were evenly distributed by years there would be 12 per year less the half child.
I hate to ask what you think would be a reasonable enrollment number. I guess your fine with primary versions of Cedar Bridge because the system works so well.
Set the kids up to fail at an early age so our ministers can keep getting overpaid for being a spokesperson for their overpaid consultants.
It’s because of the unions and furlough days. We have the unions to “thank” for this.
I am so damn glad that I can afford – just – to send my kids to private schools….
Are you looking for a biscuit or a golf clap?
I wish I could dislike this a million times!!!! So to parents that can’t afford private school their children don’t deserve a good education? I’m so saddened by your comment. These mind frames are the reason things will never change. Remember the world is a cycle as quickly as the Lord gives he can take away. And BTW just because your child/children are in private school does not mean they are getting the best education. Not all private schools are created equally!! And FYI you don’t have kids you have children. My son can tell you that and he’s in PUBLIC SCHOOL!!! So ashamed Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
go have a cup of ganja tea
To some degree I agree.
Birthrate plays a part.
Many are leaving the island. Another stat to consider.
Everyone wants to go to a school in their parish or next one down.
That won’t work.
Shalom.
I am puzzled…
The MOED states that the meeting is an “…opportunity for PTAs to obtain additional information and give feedback on the issue of public school reorganization.”
Does the MOED expect for parents to be happier than classroom sizes will increase and children will receive less 1 to 1 attention?
Then we are told, “No decision has yet been made on whether schools will be closed, which by extension means that no decision has been made on the closure of particular schools.”
So I am forced to ask is the meeting really necessary? People want to know how this initiative is going to effect them. Parents are going to leave frustrated because the MOED will be unable to provide them with adequate answers to their questions.
I’ll let that marinate…
I agree to an extent that at this stage they should come out with a plan and then get feedback on it. Seems like this method will take forever, as they will consult, then come up with a plan, then reconsult. Not sure that is the best use of time.
I hope people don’t overreact with emotion and that they think logically and practically. The fact is that many of the schools are operating with largely decreased populations, and costs need to be cut. Merging and consolidating a few might be the most efficient way to utilize resources.
So you close 3 schools.
What happens to the Head Master/ Mistress.
The teachers.
Can they be absorbed?
Will they retain their higher salaries?
Lots to think about.
Shalom.
Do you work at the ministry of education? @ Watching
The primary point of consideration on ‘What information will assist the decision ” should be the performance of the school. There should be some measurable results and these don’t only have to be academic. There are other valuable measurements of success of schools and parents should be able to choose the school that best suits their child’s needs.
Why is Bermuda falling apart? And answer not
A Solution
Over zealous spending by the PLP creating a union backed Civil service and union backed govt other jobs which need to be right sized.
The Union is holding us back.
OBA seems to be trying to work with the unions.
PLP rubberstamped everything the union did and that is why we are in a mess.
Union leaders need to change the rules to make the country proud of unions and want them as they make us work more efficiently.
They just get more money (ps where are accounts) to pay themselves the more chaos and disruption they cause. This is wrong, people need to wake up.