Video: Q&A With Education Minister Wayne Scott

[Updated] Minister of Education Wayne Scott held a press conference this morning [Nov 17] to answer questions regarding initiatives mentioned in the 2016 Throne Speech, discussing various matters related to education, as well as commenting on the Bermuda Union of Teachers response to the Throne Speech.

12-minute live video replay with Education Minister Wayne Scott

Update 10.41am: Minister Scott’s full statement follows below

As a community we all want what is best for our families and for our people. Ours is a common journey, with a common purpose. Ours is a common destiny.
We can only achieve what is best together, as a community, as one people united. We believe we are on the right track.

With that understanding, “Children first” is the driving principle behind the Ministry of Education’s ongoing transformation of the public school education system. The goal of all our efforts, as set out in the Speech from the Throne, is to improve student achievement.

As outlined in the Speech from the Throne, we know that teachers are the critical element in the classroom and it is the Ministry’s plan to continue our efforts to improve the value of teaching and the quality of learning. There will be ongoing support for our mathematics and literacy strategies, for quality teaching practices.

Our first target is the completion of initiatives already underway:

• The three-year school improvement plan and the implementation of the Danielson Framework for improved curriculum teaching.
• The application and implementation of tools for consistent grading
• Improving the utilization of the Bermuda College STEM centre
• Improving communication and methods to achieve greater parental involvement
• The extension of the Multi-Tier System of Support for student behaviour interventions and;
• Addressing facility challenges highlighted in the community-led SCORE report

Allowing a child to progress through the system without demonstrating a sufficient grasp of concepts or developing their skills to acceptable levels ensures continuing academic struggle and, as life continues, potential problems of functionality.

The Ministry will end the practice of social promotion, where it exist, as a means of ensuring that suitable and adequate development takes place. This said, our focus will be on continuing to identify and address any challenges our students may face and provide the necessary support.

Separately, by way of City & Guilds, the Ministry will consider ways of implementing alternative pathways for student success. This programme utilizes an Applied Methodology, i.e. Technical Education.

It is our intention to increase and diversify scholarship and awards for students who pursue post-secondary educational studies. The intent is to take into account additional requirements for granting awards such as student innovation, creativity, talent, determination, leadership and financial need.

The Ministry of Education will produce a plan of action to improve the quality and prevalence of in-school information technology.

We will bring together staff, parents, community members and the Board of Education to develop a community-owned strategic plan. The plan will lay down a path for the ongoing transformation of public education and will focus on implementable and achievable priorities and goals to help prepare our students for continued success.

All the good work the Ministry and the Department is undertaking is based on perhaps the most important aspect of services a government can provide and that is to educate its children; so that they may learn to improve themselves and guide them to find ways to live in an often difficult and complex world so that they will become fully realised members of society.

Putting our children first is not a passing whim, nor is it an empty promise. By putting children first, we put society first. Educated children grow up and in turn raise educated adults.

Ensuring that our children have a first class education that allows them to compete both locally and internationally enables them to grow as people and as members of their families and the community.

No matter how well this Government succeeds on its twin-track approach to economic and social affairs — and we are succeeding — progress will be limited if we do not make the education of our children our first priority.

Everything this government has done, is doing, and will continue to do is intended to benefit all Bermudians.

Raising the general standard of education in the community is the greatest work a government can accomplish.

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