PLP: ‘Politics Must Be Taken Out Of Education’
“The statement by Education Minister Cole Simons reinforces our belief that politics must be taken out of education,” the PLP said today, adding that “backbiting, petty squabbling and name calling may impress some, but most Bermudians want solutions and not excuses.”
The PLP said, “Despite this, the OBA seems more interested in finger pointing and ducking responsibility than on addressing the real issues facing our most important resource; our children.
“Bermuda deserves better and we can do better when we take the politics out of education, put an end to petty squabbling and make our children a priority.
“The PLP has committed to a restructuring of the education system that will provide our students with the tools necessary to achieve in this evolving technological world.
“Additionally, we have performed preliminary assessments to identify what is working, and what is not. After consultation, we will ensure that we will not disturb what is working, but where improvements are necessary, we will take steps to address.
“The middle school system has proven to provide hardships to the development and success of our students, and we plan to address this in a phasing out and a return to a two tiered system.
“Minister Simons accused the PLP of doing “nothing in 14 years”, a phrase rooted in pre-election hyperbole. During the PLP’s 14 years in office, there were significant advancements made, including, but not limited to –
- Commissioning the Hopkins report, of which 8 of 10 recommendations were implemented
- Implementing the Internationally recognized Cambridge Curriculum
- Introduction of Career Pathways
- Implementing the Dual Enrollment Programme at Bermuda College
- Increased funding for Bermuda Government Scholarships
- Reducing Class size
“We understand there is much more to be done to advance our students and to prepare them for the future, and the PLP is committed to that task.
“Today, there are two Bermudas; one where access to quality education and a pathway to higher education and a career are a given and the other Bermuda that has been neglected and forgotten for too long. Bermuda can do better.
“The PLP will be hosting a town hall on education tonight, Wednesday May 31 at 7pm at Elliott Primary and we invite the public as well as Minister Simons to attend. Here we will show our draft plan for education under the next PLP administration, as well as listen to suggestions and concerns from parents, teachers, students and others in attendance.”
“backbiting, petty squabbling and name calling may impress some, but most Bermudians want solutions and not excuses.”
Agreed!
How about we take POLITICIANS out of education. $30k+ per year and we get kids who cannot fill out a job application? BTW it was in a shambles prior to OBA.
Private education is a little over $20k.
“we get kids who cannot fill out a job application”
What a condescending piece of doo doo you are.
Bermudian employers are hiring people who’s credentials wouldn’t be enough to get them a job in Tim Hortons. If they are even allowed to stay in Canada they still have to further their education there to get employed but the employers in Bermuda will hire them at the drop of a hat. It’s no wonder why Bermudian businesses never last long.
While this comment may be correct….there is a good number of job seekers coming to Bermuda with minimal education, ready to secure any job they can. By any means necessary. Even getting married to secure a spot. Don’t throw stones from a glass house.
Doo doo? Well you are a poopy face! It is no secret that our education system is and has been putting out some very poorly equipped students, there are some good I will admit. You seem very quick to jump onto the non-Bermudian scenario and in particular the Canadian thingy. You sound indoctrinated and the only thing original about you is your finger print.
Do you think that the PLP have the answer? They ain’t gonna tell you until 2025 so vote them in then, hopefully they will have some talented members by then.
You are making politics ALL ABOUT education. You do realize that right?
It will continue to be far easier to politicize education than face the fallout from confronting and effectively dealing with the only 3 places the problems can lay. (either political party)
a) The DOE
B) The parents
c) The children
The biggest problem of all A) The ignorant pieces of garbage we have on island who let their prejudices blind them to the fact that the DOE, parents and children get far less assistance to succeed than their counterparts.
THERE ARE FRIGGIN UNIVERSITIES IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES BUT BERMUDA HAS JACK TO OFFER ACCEPT AN AMERICAS CUP T-SHIRT
BUNCH OF PREJUDICE NUMPTIES!!!!
Are you kidding me? The 2016-17 budget for the Ministry of Education was $124.9 million and there were 4,792 students enrolled in primary/middle/senior schools in September, 2015. That works out to a budget of $26,000 per student… but they get “far less assistance to succeed than their counterparts”.
Keep telling the lies but it won’t make them facts.
What are you talking about?
The public school system is funded to the tune of approximately $25k per student which is more than any private school tuition.
Monies aren’t the issue. It is the way the monies are spent coupled with politician and Union interference.
That’s right PLP a stop bitching all the time it’s all we hear from you guys
Stop politicizing it…
Grim picture—Education didn’t improve under the last administrtion and prior to an election–the opposition is making this an issue.
That’s not politicizing an issue?
errr—what are we all missing here?
Our kids deserve far better than amatuer brinksmanship
LoL!!!! Did they just say that politics must be taken out of something?!?! Omg, i am dying laughing. They truly are the party of Trump!
This statement by the PLP reinforces Bermuda’s belief that the PLP = politics first and country last
So is that like privatizing?! Something the PLP are supposed to be so against….
Pathetic Loser Party – they did NOTHING BUT KEEP US DOWN!!!!
How convenient. The PLP want to take politics out of education while using politics to attack the current government. A bit of joke really.
In the education survey I stated that education is on the right track for improvement. I have a child in public primary school so I know. Plp still saying they will make changes where needed. Education is already got a group working to make things better. Leave that alone. We do not want changes, we want stability and politics out of it. Sorry plp, I’m seeing clearly. This swing voter will be voting OBA!
Bet your saving up your dollars to send your child to private school so they’re not sent to Cedar Bridge or wish you could.
No doubt. Just like all the PLP MPs do.
The Teacher’s union should stay out of politics and concentrate on our children’s welfare in schools
They have always been an appendage of the BIU under Mike Charles
Let us not forget how much the taxpayers pay for a quality education for our students which at times is not delivered
Epic Fail
There’s so much wrong, inconsistent and hypocritical about this, latest, PLP statement.
Utter fail.
Politics is only allowed in Education when PLP says so! You got that! Because PLP going to take us back to Platinum Period with Dr. Brown and Mrs. Cox – I had to deceive you Uighurs, Port Royal Zane & Co, Kings Wharf Correia Construction Ministry of Tourism & Transport NO Financial Instructions, Dame Lois Bldg secret Trusts/Cheques, Flip Flop Furbie cousin – no SSM, Global Hue $120M/year consultants Cabinet travel the world, Cog in the wheel but no money to pave roads, cut hedges, pick up trash…..deja vu all over again..
LOL….. “take politics out from education” says the PLP: they effectively did that when they were the Government of the day, by providing no consistent leadership or stability in their choices of Education Minister. Hypocritical politics at best!!
In the Village the truth hurts !
Nothing will will change until this country faces up to reality.
All you need to know these days is how to vote .
I work as a community partner with Francis Patton Primary. I would be willing to bet, take a group of children sit them in a room and tell them these are the problems we need to fix and I’m sure you would get some better answers than the bickering politicians who have all the answers. They should be ashamed of themselves. ALL OF THEM. These are some of the “role models” (politicians) they see acting worse than children. Francis Patton is a shining example of what “LEADERSHIP” looks like. I take my hat off to the educators who deal with so much more than just teaching. When you have a “bye-in” from the educators, parents, principle and community, that’s when positive things happen. You politicians need to GROW UP!