Photos: “Fix Our Schools” Demonstration
[Updated] People took to the streets of Hamilton this afternoon [Apr 26] in order to make their voices heard regarding the state of the island’s schools, with a number of people presently visible carrying signs.
The signs carried by demonstrators included phrases such as “fix our schools,” “teach for excellence, pray for supplies,” “no more band-aids,” and “our schools make us sick.”
Update 5.45pm: Gail Williams, union representative at West Pembroke Primary School, offered her thoughts on the demonstration, saying “the conditions in the schools are deplorable.”
Update 6.05pm: Audio statement from Minister of Education Wayne Scott added below.
This oba/ubp is the BIGGEST joke ever. Get involved oba/ubp. The students in all public schools MUST have your support BEFORE you channel your energy towards AMERICA’S CUP…….. bad proirities.
If you really care, provide the appropriate support that the schools need.
Hey, where is the chief deserter….. Grant, oh Grant. Where art thou????
Where were all you anti One Bermuda Alliance Party citizens when the former Progressive Labour Party were the Government of Bermuda for over 12 years? We the public didn’t / couldn’t hear, “boo-crap” from you lot about all the stuff that has been wrong with not only schools, missing $ and lets not forget the water catch in Prospect as well…
Please explain this to us
These people arent anti oBA. Its a mix in there.
And. The PLP did it is no longer a valid argument when the UBp/oBA ran this country for 30 odd years and did nothing but poison children with floride.
Hey backbone, this issue just didn’t arrive in the past 3 years, it’s been going on when the PLP were in.. So why didn’t you lot complain then.. Just saying..
TO HAIR: This problem stems from the ubp government…..DECADES AGO.
WANNA have a Commission of Inquiry??
Look into THAT.
The P.L.P.WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MESS. THE ubp and THE oba are the primary ones responsible.
Hey!! Looks like you have not lived here too long.
Foreigner????? Not knowing the full picture but has been told things….even if the things ARE ALL WRONG!!!!!
What a pity!!!
How about government just print a trillion dollar bill. They could then pay off the national debt, give everyone $10 million each, and still have a ton of cash left over.
If everyone had $10 million, we could each invest our money and earn interest. Government could then impose a small income tax on the interest each of us makes so it has enough cash coming in to keep on paying for everything. Why no one has ever thought of this before surprises me.
Small problems
Govt would have to pay for the original trillion dollar bill. Due to the size our credit rating would drop a couple of notches at minimum.
Inflation would be rife … with all that money floating in the economy.
Hey I have a good idea lets close some of the smaller primary schools(or that require the most work) and consolidate. Then we will have more money to spend. Simple.
Sorry lady, but the schools didn’t get like this in the last 4 years. They have been neglected for the past 20. Your PLP govt ignored all the complaints. You know why? Cuz they don’t care what you think. That, and they “mismanaged” all the money.
That’s a lie. These problems happened from when the UBP was in power and decided to get rid of a perfect school system that was working to replace it with this crap we have today for education. I know because I was one of the first to go through the middle school system. The ubp made and left a mess and the plp did make an effort. It wasn’t enough but they tried to fix it but now everyone realizes that the biggest mistake in education was made when the ubp PURPOSELY screwed up the school system because too many black people were succeeding. Look at the numbers now of graduates to children have successful careers when they grow up compared to back then if u think I’m just talking….
[PRIORITIES!!!!
Why was this not a priority when the PLP were in? They were more interested in making themselves rich, tha’s why.
Think back on why Roban resigned.
Your “priorities” change from day to day. First it’s healthcare. Then seniors. Then education. Then reducing the debt. Then jobs. Then tourism. Then deporting foreign nationals who are imprisoned.
And if someone says “this is not a new problem, the PLP did nothing about it” you say “but the OBA is supposed to be DIFFERENT from the PLP”.
So apparently you don’t want the PLP back in either.
There is No Monies
And it appears as though 75% of the island’s residents just don’t realize it .
Instead of doing everything in their power to continually destabilize the (OBA) government I hope they’re working on their personal resiliency development program because they’re surely going to need it in the very near future .
And no-one’s going to be paying any mind to their protests then .
TO TOODLE-00:
You are not a Bermudian but have been educated wrongly by_________.If there is a true need to protest, then it will be.
Obviously, you are not for the people, of the people, by the people.
PAPER BERMUDIAN, perhaps?????
We will stand up when we feel the need to.
So sorry if THAT disturbs you and OTHERS.
I love how you throw around the term “paper Bermudian” as if it’s an offense. Wow, I’m sorry my family came here 1 generation later than yours. Does that mean yah great nana didn’t know anything about the island/ politics too because she was a “paper Bermudian”?
Dear ‘lacking any brains’ , the trouble with people like you is that you automatically assume that all ‘real ‘ Bermudians have a nasty attitude and lack intelligence as you do . With those beliefs you really think that you can tell who is Bermudian and who is not on these discussion boards.
I know you’ll deny it but I can almost promise you that my roots here go back way past yours. That sucky attitude and ignorance of yours can actually trace its roots in Bda back to the turn of the 19th century . Now figure that one out all clever one .
The UBP (now known as the OBA) are doing a very good job of destabilizing themselves. Those of you who continue to say when the PLP was in power they did not so this and they did not do that (2) wrongs does not make it right. And also grow up because you sound like little children when they say he hit me first.
TO the truth will set you free:
Well, well, well!!!
Looks like THE TRUTH has MANY faces.
Yes. The oba…ubp is doing a GREAT job at destabilizing themselves……. SELFISHLY and undemocratically!!
You have that point CORRECT.
Difference is the PLP had plenty of money to fix things, but they failed to do so.
The OBA got left with debt…
People need to point fingers at the party that screwed Bermuda over. The PLP
YUP!
And school started when.
Another ploy by the PLP to bring down Government.
Give it time.
We will all be gone and it will be all yours.
Alah Akbah
HEY, TERRY: This is no ploy. Go into ALL of the public schools and SEE for yourself.
P.L.P. PLOY??????
NO WAY!!!!!!
Get into the schools YOURSELF and then form your opinion.
I would have to agree…don’t judge before you see it yourself. These parents have legitimate concerns for the safety and wellness of their children and this should not be turned into a political battleground or a race battleground. No child should have to go to school where there is mold. No child should have to endure schools with termites in them.
The lady with the sign saying “You think Education is expesive, try Ignorance” hit the nail right on the head! If we do not educate our children in the best possible environment conducive to learning…what are we going to have to deal with in 20 years????? Pay now and reap the rewards later!
Then W&E need to get their S### together.
Minister should look into the history of reviews and requests. find out who let Bermuda down in that chain and fire their sorry behinds.
Maybe we could look into closing schools that aren’t needed. then we could spend money on renovating the ones that are needed. There’s an idea.
Gomint needs to bring out the magic wand again
Again, where were these demonstrations 5, 6, 10 years ago… What do we want, less schools better maintained, or the current number of schools falling apart, we simply can’t have both anymore. 10 years ago, yes… now, no. The mold didn’t just appear in the last 3 years, the rats, cockroaches and termites didn’t just move in the last 3 years… My suggestion, if you are so concerned, why not organize a volunteer day or days with all parents and children to go in and clean and fix the schools, rather than standing out in the street using up art supplies that would have been better if given to the school, stop waiting for a government with no money to do it, they can’t, there is just too many issues and not enough funds. The best they can manage is triage at this point, and there would be more funds that could go much further if there were at least 2 or 3 less schools to have to worry about maintaining.
That’s exactly what I was thinking.
Even in the most recent debate the PLP admitted this was a long standing issue transcending governments.
The PLP even tried to introduce the ‘adopt a school’ maintenance plan in which private sector business/individuals would stump up the cash needed for the upgrades.
These issues have been around for so long, but not a word from these people.
At least the OBA made them public finally with the issuance of the SCORE report and have already stated that the issues will be addressed.
In all honesty, after reviewing the more than poor Cambridge Checkpoint results for the Primary Schools and the always poor high school exam results, maybe it is time for the public to protest against the below standard teaching levels employed in our public schools.
So its the plps fault?
YES!!!!
As is everything right.
Social injustices of the past
Calling in mortages
Setting up a system of racial oppression.
All PLP right
I agree. We need better teachers if the public education system will ever produce results on this island. The past 50+ years has shown it doesn’t.
Bring in energetic, trained educators from overseas to give our public school students the top notch educations that they deserve. It’s not about extra dollars for new Dry-erase boards. It’s investing in quality educators.
It’s not just better teacher, we need better students and parents. There are children that are in our education system that are being told by their parents that an education won’t get them anything. There are parents who are putting their children in the education system with belief that it is the job of the teachers and schools to raise them, teach them discipline, and educate them, but it takes parents to do all of those things to, schools can only really do one of those. There are some great children coming out of our deplorable schools, and you can be guaranteed that the reason the are and will succeed is because they have good family support to help them, and it doesn’t matter what shape that family support comes in, just that it is there.
I applied for a job with the Ministry a few years ago in the January. I was contacted requesting an interview in May. Needless to say I had applied and accepted a post elsewhere by then.
PRIVATE SCHOOL TEACHER.
Good. You probably would have come in with a warped sense of education, anyway!!
“Warped sense of education”? Is that why private school children are getting accepted left right and centre into ivy league schools? Maybe we need more “warped” teachers.
Stop shadow boxing … Over the past 50 years Bermuda has brought in hundreds of teachers , I dare say thousands from Canada , England , the West Indies and a few from America . In the end , most students got a second grade education while the teachers gained status .
Obviously you haven’t been in a school in decades.
Not into the public school system.
SICKOFANZ/WESTPALM:
It is that type of thought that keeps the country from flourishing, especially from an educational perspective. There is an imbalance in thought when it comes to the education of BERMUDIAN CHILDREN.
Your type of opinion DEFINITELY reflects a ” keep them down” mentality.
Rather sad thoughts, really.
Remember a certain school the PLP built…hmmmm 60million that turned into around 120million …Just think what could have been done with the schools today with that lost money.
Guess you don’t know the history . . .remember the certain school that the PLP inherited from the UBP and had to complete the project!! Get your facts straight please!!!
People DID ,speak up. Teachers complained about the high number of turnover for Education Ministers. They DO PAY for paint, roach bait, etc to clean their classrooms. I PAID FOR MY OWN SUPPLIES , not the art ones. When was the last time you had to buy toilet paper because of black mold in order to use the bathroom at work. Does your job have brown water? How many times did you have to buy hand soap just to wash your hands? Have you ever had to buy something as basic as copy paper because there are no enough books for each student. So I suggest you ACTUALLY GO INTO your nearest public school and see what the have to deal with before you talk.
True, the problem should be on the shoulders of the W & E but let us not forget the custodians who /should fix things prior to them becoming too large. Or if it is necessary, go one step further like get able body inmates who are wasting their time and skills in prison to do repairs?
Damn, they(the prisons)could have a road crew to go out daily and mow grass and trim hedges at various Government schools; they can also attend to the other small maintenance up-keeping of schools / grounds.
Many teacher come out of pocket to pay for supplies.They real question is ,why are so many students wasting time and money .The main issue the system needs to be changed .TOO many children do not care about there education .Closing down 1or 2school ,but not the ones that have history like East end . How are parents spouse to help out when they are working two-three jobs to make ends meet .The budget for Bermuda was processed right .All working people in bernuda pay taxes everyone month where is that money going .America’s Cup .Not to education.
Wow. If that’s not an indictment of Bermuda’s education system, I don’t know what is.
Stay in school kid. It’s not the building that counts, it’s the quality of teaching. Unfortunately Bermuda fails miserably.
Not too good on the math side I see.
The AC costs $52mn over 3 years. Given that our nnual budget is approximately $1bn this total expenditure over 3 years is 1.7% of the total budget.
Education has $125mn spent on it each and every year at a minimum.
Debt payments cost $180mn a year.
Now you do the math to see where exactly your taxes are going.
But I do agree with you regarding the children not valuing an education. The same mindset (school is for fools) was rampant in my day amongst males primarily. Seems nothing has changed.
NO, the money is not going to the Americas cup…that money is being ploughed back into the economy.
What is required is heads to roll in the civil Service. A reform of the Ministry of Education in terms of process, cost and efficiency. Some schools need closing and selling off to help fund repairs, maintenance and improvement of remaining schools.
Union needs to step up and agree that no industrial action will be taken in the ministry shake up.
Someone also needs to investigate each schools financials…where the money they are given is spent.
We’re combating stupidity when attempting to show certain people the facts, i.e. why the situations are in such a rut that we witness now in?
“Stop flogging a dead horse…”
“They” can attempt to convince the vast majority of voters that this is the fault of the One Bermuda Alliance when in reality the late Lance Hayward could have seen this was going on for years prior to there even was a One Bermuda Alliance
Where will the fake hunger striker ” enda ” be setting up camp this time?? Those that provide protein shakes need to know where to deliver them?? Also, where were these same protesters when the plp were bankrupting us???
At work….
So why aren’t they at work now?? Or is ok to take time off to complain about the OBA?? Again I ask, why were they not complaining when they were working in the same conditions the plp had them in and now, thanks to the plp, were are bankrupt!!! I have absolutely no compassion for those that complain now!!!!!
Kangoocar: If you drove past King Street after 5:00 yesterday you would have seen them. The protest was not held during school hours.
Just to be clear Kangoocar this took place AFTER working hours. Teachers were on their own time.
Because people dont have jobs now….
So when the PLP had office people has jobs now no one has jobs and unemployed/underempliyed people have a lot of time to protest.
You have no sympathy for parents who are upset with the fact that the schools they pay taxes for are on the same standard as third world country.
Please leave my island we dont need people like you here who make victims out of the oppressed.
KANGOOCAR/ WESTPALM: You are an incredibly ignorant person. Are you sure that you are 100% HUMAN ??????
There is evidence to the contrary about your humaneness!!!!!!!!!
The plp Tards are pathetic at best, 105 dislikes in a few minutes?? Truth obviously stung you didn’t it???
I would really love to meet you…you consistently sound daft…like when will you stop blaming PLP for OBA/UBP’s short comings?!?
Kangoocar I wonder what they pay these children /or wanna-bees to tic “Dislike” when they see something anti P.L.P.?
Inquisitive minds would just love to know
No one had to pay me to click dislike on your OBA brown nosed cheer leading crap. Everyone knows that PLP messed things up but that doesn’t excuse OBA from making it worse. OBA has borrowed a heck load of money just as the PLP did. The OBA needs to step up now and show they can invest it in the right places. 14 million that went to AC could have gone to text books for the children. Why text books? Because there’s not enough for each child so even if a parent wanted to help their child better understand a subject covered that day they can’t because there isn’t a text book to bring home. Children have to share these books in class. I’ve had to order and pay out of my pocket for books to have something to go by. It’s been a long time since I was in school so I don’t know everything they are teaching and sometimes even trying to google it doesn’t work because equations can be done multitudes of ways and the online explanation is different than what’s in the book. India and many other third world countries are predicted to be the next superpowers and the main reason why is that as poor as these countries are they make sure there’s enough to make education available to help the future generations succeed. They have universities while we have a half a$$ college.
How long will you and OBA keep using the blame game to cover up their own inequities? If a group of share holders sac a CEO for mismanaging their funds and hires a new one who suggest they borrow money to get out of the hole the old got them in they expect the new CEO to invest wisely in assets that will not only show a return in a couple of years but also for the lifetime of the company. The shareholders don’t give two squats about hearing from the new CEO that the old did this and that they just want the DAMN PROBLEM FIXED & FORGET THE EXCUSES. PLP and OBA are both a bunch of whiny children “They did that and they did this.” Stop whining and making excuses because the money is there. If it wasn’t Britain would have taken over by now. Invest in our future not some friggin rich mans sailing race that doesn’t even make the top ten of world sporting events. People whined about Ewart bringing in Beyonce and I will say that it was a waste because Beyonce performs all over the world but there are a heck of a lot more people who know who Beyonce is than what the Americas Cup is.
Now get the OBA doo doo off the end of your nose Ray because it’s attracting flies.
They’re probably paid on par with the OBA PAID bloggers like yourself I guess…..LOL…
Kangoocar you sound like someone who has been successfully programmed, brainwashed and indoctrinated. And have no sense of what it takes to bring attention to social injustice.
kangoocar did you say you could leave Bermuda then I think you should and for your information the hunger strike was not a fake
The UBP/oba doesn’t care about the children…
That is children of the regular citizens of Bermuda.
They want us and our children uneducated and dumb, while they and theirs go to proper maintained schools.
Easier to control an uneducated population, always has been.
“Easier to control an uneducated population, always has been”
Which is exactly what the PLP are continuing to do.
Hello!!
Shutthemdown. It is you who doesn’t care. When educated teachers don’t understand economies it is no wonder our children are failing. Those teachers out there complaining about supplies and buildings are only deflecting about the poor job they are doing. So here’s your answer. Knock down 10 schools and renovate the rest. Sorry but NO paras and many of you will need to find other work.
Terry,if you want to use Arabic Terms ,or pretend that you know something about Al-Islam then,at least learn to write and speak the language.Allah-u-Akbar means
G-d is Greater or G-D is the Greatest.{Greater than what,? the question may be asked.}Greater than everything and everyone.Even you,believe it or not.Peace.
Try replying directly to his comment- instead of halfway down the page! Im just saying that it might actually get noticed that way.
Totally agree with fixing schools, but in addition to fixing the schools the teachers need ‘fixing’ as well. The grammar of some teachers is offensive to the ears. Coming from a public school parent, I would like to see the standard raised higher.
Alaska Hall is already out in force with their likes and dislikes.
OBA has had 3 years to fix everything wrong with Bermuda yet the PLP “plan” is called 2025 – they need at least 10 years. If the PLP are elected in 2017 then nothing will be done for at least another 8 years.
The money is there, but it’s spent on the hundreds of paper pushers in the Ministry of Education doing nothing. They need to go and the money spent on the schools and more teachers. Things will get a lot worse before they stabilize, if indeed this is possible.
THERE IS NO MONEY! STAND OUTSIDE EB’S HOUSE AND PROTEST! DO YOU HONESTLY THINK THAT OBA OR ANY OTHER RIGHT THINKING BERMUDIANS WANT TO DENY ANYONE ANYTHING?
You are puppets I am sorry but the reason you are being forced to hold up signs is due to 14 years of greed and stupidity.
Things were way better under the UBP and you know that!
But like everything else we had fix what was never broken.
Pray.
Yeah the same way everyone on this island thinks Obama is cleaning up bush’s mess. Lol
Wahoo has hit the nail on the head.
Wasn,t a teacher,s services terminated due to her health been severly compr omised, and that matter went to court. How many other teachers and students have been exposed to various levels of mold, and will likely not come to light for a few years yet. A few police officers who worked in various police stations, and lived in police barracks, also took sick, so it would be best not to treat this as a political football.
then why haven’t the civil service processed the reports and W&E maintained the building….nearly a year to built a roundabout….stop taking Bermuda for a ride W&E and Civil service.
Do your jobs as NOW you are disadvantaging our kids with your behavior !!!!!
PLP dun gone spent all the $$$
More continues to be spent on a per pupil basis in the public sector than in private schools, however, standards, accountability and results have slipped in the public schools for the last twenty years during which time Governements have come and gone as have multiple Ministers of Education.
The only constant is the Department of Education. Therein lies the problem.
Nobody is going to listen to any PLP supporters calling for chanting about change for anything as if they were truly about these issues, they would have done all of this years ago! Again I ask WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE PLP WAS PUTTING US DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE??? WHY WASN’T THAT MONEY USED FOR EDUCATION??? Hmmm calling your bluffs
This was a general statement, I didn’t mean for it to be a reply to 32n64w as I agree with everything you said.
Isn’t it a bit dangerous to imply that the people carrying the signs yesterday were all PLP supporters? Seems a bit extreme.
Facts are that some of our buildings are in various stages of disrepair, the education standards at some of the schools are sketchy at best. Also likely, the Dept of Education is an overgrown behemoth with a lot of inertia.
Someone needs to be a real visionary and champion a full and complete restructure that benefits Bermuda’s students and empowers teachers and parents. Is the current ruling government in position to do so? Probably not without the buy-in from the BUT, for starters.
Bingo – it always amazes me how whenever this comes up everyone just goes running to their respective corner and tries to blame the other party for the mess.
Maybe…just maybe…GOVERNMENT just isn’t that good at education.
How about this for an idea? We privatize every single school and then every parent gets a $20k cheque for every kid, every year from government to be spent on schooling. They can then send their kid where ever they want to including the current private schools.
Also I’m a proponent of a strong union to protect workers rights, but when that same union stands in the way of Bermuda having the world’s best teachers educating our kids, well then that union has forgotten what it is supposed to be doing.
The other constant is the BUT. (Somewhat of an appropriate acronym).
@ 32n64w
Short but sweet and right on point. However it wont get through to most. Why? No one wants to be the one inconvenienced either by a pay cut in the CS or by removing the dead wood in the MOE & govt in general.
Instead we’ll continue to play the blame game & the victim mentality types will parrot the ‘they don’t care about us narrative’. Like that’s gonna fix anything.
Perspective
14 years versus 400 years
and we are left with prejudice and discrimination IN OUR SOCIETY FOREVER.
WHERE IS FEY ?
I counted 4 signs with spelling errors!
You know somebody is not smart when they neglect the swing vote. You just saw the swing vote holding signs.
Mold is a very serious fungus in the schools. I have even got sick from the fungus. This is an important issue that needs to be addressed. I’m glad teachers and students took the time out to do this..these things get ignored, so therefore action must be taken & voiced must be heard. I hope something can be done to resolve this issue.health comes first and it is very imperative that students be exposed to a clean atmosphere and environment weaken learning, as well as teachers.
To the teachers out there – First and foremost – many many thanks to you all that provide an education to the kids of today. It is greatly appreciated.
I feel the need to interject…….
2nd – you all have 3 months off for the summer break. You b!%@h and moan about the conditions of the classrooms.. and how you care about the kids……but how many of you (and be honest about your answer) – instead of waiting on someone to do it for you – take the initiative and go and paint your classrooms – wipe down walls – mop the floors. If you say “YES I DO” – then what are you moaning about. If you don’t do it – then you are partly responsible for the condition of some of these classes.
We Bermudians HAVE GOT TO WAKE UP and realize that we are our own demise. Sit back and wait for someone else to do something….. MERCY……… Get off you A$$ES and do something.
Have a wonderful day.
Ty.
Terry many teachers do what you have mentioned above, paint walls, mop floors, clean windows, etc. HOWEVER, I think it would be unfair for them to have to patch roof leaks, holes in the ceiling, replace mouldy tiles, repair windows that are broken, repair ceiling fans that are hanging, catch the rats that are roaming through the building overhead while they are teaching and the list goes on…..For those of you that don’t see any of the concerns as an issue perhaps YOU can come and donate some time. This isn’t about making noise just for the sake of it these are legitimate concerns and have been expressed for the past few years…A ceiling fan fell on a child for heavens sake and we are just trying to prevent another disaster that could potentially seriously injure someone….
Sometimes you HAVE to make noise in order to be heard…..
Does it matter what party was in power when the issue started? There is a issue that has to be fixed and the party in power has the job to fix it… Stop making excuses and let’s find a way to fix the problem…
There is NO MONEY to fix problems. The PLP blew it ALL! When will people start to admit this! Until this is admitted it will always come back to you!
PLP messed up and the black swing voters voted the OBA in because we thought it would be better and they said they can fix the issues and make money…. But years later things are worst with no type of plan… Come back to you? Not us are you not bermudian, you do know educated kids are our future? I just want to see all of us do better I don’t care what party is in power I just want a better Bermuda for my kids
When the public witness several men who are suppose to be working just standing up with a tool (or in most cases no tool) in their hand doing absolutely nothing they are the real problem. Warn them once and if they don’t want to pay attention then let them go and replace them with someone who’s willing to work. Far too many Government workers are robbing the “system”…