Scenarios: School Reorganisations & Closures
Closing Gilbert Institute, Prospect Primary School, St. David’s Primary School and Heron Bay Primary School are among the possible scenarios of school reorganisation detailed in the SCORE report, Minister of Education Wayne Scott said, noting that he is sharing the report’s findings, and has “not made a decision regarding school reorganization or school closures.”
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Minister Scott said, “In the SCORE Report, the Advisory Committee also provided data-driven scenarios as to which schools could be considered feasible for reorganisation or school closure within the context of their research. The scenarios were presented by school zones as follows:
Central Zone
Scenario 1 – Resolve overutilisation at West Pembroke Primary School
Scenario 2 – Close Gilbert Institute and transition staff and students to Prospect Primary School
Scenario 3 – Close Prospect Primary School and transition staff and students to Victor Scott Primary School and Paget Primary SchoolEastern Zone
Scenario 1A: Close St. David’s Primary School and transition staff and students to East End Primary School and St. George’s Preparatory School
Scenario 1B: Resolve overutilisation at Harrington Sound Primary School and Francis Patton Primary School
Scenario 2: Keep all schools open and resolve overutilisation at Harrington Sound Primary School and Francis Patton Primary School by transitioning students to East End Primary
Western ZoneScenario 1: Resolve overutilisation at Port Royal Primary School and Purvis Primary School by transitioning students to West End Primary School
Scenario 2: Close Heron Bay Primary School and transition staff and students to West End Primary School
Scenario 3: Resolve overutilisation at Port Royal Primary School and Purvis Primary School and transition students to Paget Primary School
Scenario 4: No schools closing and reorganizing.
Minister Scott said, “Let me emphasize that the SCORE Advisory Committee was mandated to collect and present the data, not to make decisions. In this regard they have offered these scenarios to engage, focus and inform decision-making.
“However, I encourage all parents and the general public to read the SCORE report in detail as the Ministry is interested in solutions. It is important to note that at this point I am just sharing the data findings as promised. I have not made a decision regarding school reorganization or school closures.
“I am not wedded to these scenarios, and I will be seeking feedback on them and possible other alternatives. Collaboration from all stakeholders is needed if we are to make this transformation a reality for the Bermuda Public School System.
“The open consultation process starts today, February 8th, and will continue for 4 weeks, ending on March 4th. There will be three public consultation meetings to be held in February. The time and location of the meetings will be announced later.
“After this open consultation period closes, all collected information will be considered, with the intent of reaching a decision. The outcome of this entire process, will determine the need and scope of any further possible consultation.”
Minister Scott added that the Ministry will open the same email address it used when it started this consultation process — educationconsultation@moed.bm — to receive feedback about the report’s findings.
AWFUL suggested solutions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then suggest something better.
Cut the tax breaks for the rich , ensure that middle class children to not suffer any more than they already are.
A shame that for private schools , the children are always a priority but in our public schools, the children are held hostage to politicians WHOSE KIDS GO TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS !!!!
Can you not read? There are too many kids at some schools, not enough at others and not enough in total.
PLP typical misinformed blame the Rich, because it’s a cop out.
If you have a problem with public schools, then lobby for govt to dismantle the DOE and provide voucher for all kids and make all schools private.
Go start your own private school, if you see a need , meet the need.
If you want higher standards of education then demand independent overseas examinations, school performance tables and teacher, student and parent accountability.
Throwing money at something results in money being thrown at something. It does not result in a better education.
Let’s hear yours. Now is your opportunity.
This is all very bad timing (or on purpose??), to announce the possible scenarios when the deadline for school applications to start in September is Friday. To the people who keep saying that our Education system is poor and sub-standard, we have a daughter who goes to public primary school, and we have nothing but positive things to say. I would ask that the Government really think about the practicalities of a child who, for example , goes to Purvis, and would be re-located to West End, it’s really not feasible when they already live in the catchment area for that school.
They are asking for practical, feasible feedback. Provide some.
My feedback is practical and feasible, as in the fact it is not practical nor feasible to expect a child who loves beside Purvis to get transported to and from West End on a daily basis.
I believe the timing is purposely orchestrated, so that parents will panic during registration week and apply to schools not under threat, to justify closing the schools potentially under threat. I don’t understand the sense of Scenario 2 for the Western Zone at all. Why would you close a school that is just as capable as the others and send them far west. Why not send the overuse at Port Royal and Purvis there? This makes NO sense at all.
Well , go provide your suggestion to the ministry. This is what they are asking for.
Have more babies.
I can’t afford more than I have got…it costs money to raise a child. Love, guidance, encouragement, support, and moral guidance is free.
Having more without being able to offer them a reasonable opportunity would be selfish. Selfish don’t work with raising children.
If the powers that be at the Ministry couldn’t come up with Between’s (obvious) suggestion on their own, then they have NO BUSINESS drawing a salary. The children in these primary schools could see that is a logical suggestion.
Why not let the students for instance in St. George’s from Stoke’s Point, Ferry Reach onwards attend East End/St George’s Preparatory, from Gate 2 (as St. David’s Islanders know it) and main road on in attend St. David’s Primary and so on. Why spend money to upgrade Francis Patton and St. David’s P 1 and P2 classes for Pre-School’s and then think about closing the schools or combining schools. Turn off the a/c’s during the summer – that is a start.
I think that study is very well done. A couple of the scenarios mention transitioning of “staff and students.” Is the intention to transition all staff…how does that work?
“SO” some folks want one school per student.The school population have dropped to about (25%) of what it was (40)years ago.
We now have more schools and more teachers and a HUGE DEBT plus borrowing $220MILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR to keep this going.
And how long do you think this will last???????????????????????????????
The Difference between the public school and the private school is the teacher.
That is the stupidest comment I have read in a very long time. Do you understand that students take a test to get into private school, but in public school they are “required” to take students regardless of any mitigating factors?
More so, it is amazing the opposition that public school principals and teachers get from parents, but yet when they are paying cash money out of their pockets in private school, they are very obliging to the school as a whole.
Keep all school open, if we All get together, and fix the school’s,
stand together.
Keep All the school’s open, if we All get together fix the schools
during the summer.
we have to put our kid’s first.
Are people blind to the reality of low birth rate? The govt cannot manage Private schools because they are private. Sending a child to private school doesn’t mean one is rich.
Scenario 4 is an excellent choice for all zones!
It`s Time the government take a GOOD LOOK the department of Education.
We are in great denial about the management of Public Education.
In addition to what the Minister described regarding the state of the schools , population, and state of maintenance.
It is clear that the whole education system is being bled white by overpriced, and unproductive management, areas of substandard educators
in the system. Hiring a new administrators isn’t going to solve the these problems, that only serves to drive up the cost`s of the now overpriced, unproductive management who know of these problems all along , and want to do nothing except keep one`s pockets full from the public trough!