Premier And Minister Of Education’s Statements
“The Minister has my full support as he advances education reform,” Premier David Burt said, adding that the “Minister has pledged to take the feedback from the latest round of engagement to modify the proposals so that we can progress this vital reform for Bermuda’s future.”
Minister of Education Diallo Rabain’s full statement follows below:
“At no point was the information that was asked for by St. George’s Preparatory [SGP] withheld,” stated the Minister of Education, Hon. Diallo Rabain.
“St. George’s Preparatory [SGP] requested the data used surrounding the development of the Education Authority. The Education Authority Working Group met with SGP, and all relevant data and information requested were furnished. It should be noted that this was a similar exercise to the meetings held with SGP regarding the Parish Primary School proposal for St. George’s Parish before the final decision published in June 2021.”
Minister Rabain added, “Specifically focusing on this week’s video clip from the April 2022 meeting, there needs to be clarity:
- This meeting was with all the aided schools. The meeting focused on developing an Education Authority [EA] for the Public School System. During this meeting with the Education Authority Working Group, the purpose was to get a better and more precise understanding of how boards are used at the school level effectively. We were talking specifically about all-aided schools.
- The circulating video clip is an excerpt of the almost 3-hour Zoom meeting recording furnished only to St. George’s Prep at their request after the meeting. This request was not unusual, and often the recordings of our Zoom meetings are requested to allow for recollection of discussions and accurate documentation.
- The public should know that we have been consulting and providing information to St. George’s Preparatory [SGP] stakeholders. As with all-aided schools, we meet with the school boards before meeting with the parents and staff.
- My comment that has been taken out of context was that St. George’s Preparatory requested the data being used surrounding the development of the Education Authority. We had already met with SGP [and all other aided schools] individually and then simultaneously. The Working Group’s plans and thought processes were shared in all meetings, and all relevant data and information requested were furnished.
St. George’s Preparatory requested the data being used surrounding the development of the Education Authority, and we had already furnished all that we had available. At no point was any information that was asked for withheld.
The Education Authority Working Group will continue to meet with all relevant stakeholders to discuss the idea of an Education Authority. These meetings aimed to gather data from our stakeholders, share our development process and how decisions were arrived at and then take questions. Follow-up meetings are still being scheduled as we continue to move the development of the Education Authority along.
Regarding the consultation and information for the Parish Primary Schools held from December 2020 to June 2021, all the relevant data is still available for the public to look at, including all the responses received from the public and, lastly, the final report. All the public information can be found here:
Premier David Burt’s full statement follows below:
Lastly, in light of this week’s discussions, the Premier, the Hon. David Burt, JP, MP stated:
“The Minister of Education continues to advance the mammoth task of education reform. Our public schools have increased technology, increased funding, and we are delivering on our pledge to phase out middle schools.
“We’ve begun phasing in signature schools, we’re set to open the first two parish primary schools, and over the last four years, we have provided opportunities for consultation with parents, teachers [active & retired], students, and administrators, with more to come, to reform Bermuda’s public education system for the future.
“A one-minute clip from a three-hour meeting, where the Minister was speaking about an Education Authority which enjoys the support of both political parties in Bermuda, shows that the opposition has resorted to political games rather than engaging in this process which should be non-partisan, and should focus on the children in Public Education such as my daughter and son.
“We know that change is never easy, but the Minister has my full support as he advances education reform. The Minister has pledged to take the feedback from the latest round of engagement to modify the proposals so that we can progress this vital reform for Bermuda’s future.”
plp doing the moonwalk and burt has his magical cloak of nothing was done wrong here out. This is a bunch of actors doing a bad job as portraying politicians but dont worry the flock may be poorer but will never lose the faith. Just another Government dept failing the public , but this time messing with our children. Imagine thinking sending all east end “Primary children ” halfway up the island to whitney is a good idea.
Dumb just plain dumb
They’ve been failing our children for decades. All talk and little action with even less to show for it all.
So rightly said.
Key words “we had already furnished all that we had available”
This should read we have furnished everything from conception, analytics through to the final produced report. Everything we had available can mean a one page document, or the content in their own personal direct access…..it does not cover necessarily what was asked for by ST Georges…… Politicans aim is to create perceptions of truth that are not the whole truth, because the whole truth could be damaging. The fact that Burt made a general rubber stamp means that Rabain needed something smoothed over, Burt would not need to make that general statement otherwise.
“St. George’s Preparatory requested the data being used surrounding the development of the Education Authority, and we had already furnished all that we had available. At no point was any information that was asked for withheld”