Group Aims To Save St. David’s Primary School
[Updated] Members of the “Keep Our School Open” group have rallied together with an aim to stop St. David’s Primary School from being closed, with the group holding a meeting and also launching an online petition.
A spokesperson said, “The community of St. David’s has rallied together to save St. David’s Primary School from closure as announced by the Ministry of Education in 2021.
“The school which has operated continuously for 130 years and which was the first integrated school in Bermuda, is central to the St. David’s community, producing doctors, scientists, teachers, athletes, members of parliament, boat pilots, skilled tradesmen, and many other notable members of the community.
Members of the Keep Our School Open group with parents and students outside the school.
“In an effort to save the school from closure, members of the protest group “Keep Our School Open” which consists of members of the community and alumni, spoke about the school’s unique history and heritage to parents and teachers at a PTA meeting at the school on Monday evening [Monday, November 20]. They will also be appealing to the Minister of Education to make the case for the school to remain open.”
One of the spokespeople for Keep Our School Open and school alumni, Dr. Henry Dowling said, “St. David’s Primary sits right at the heart of the St. David’s Community. Many of us who attended the school can trace our love of education and subsequent career path directly back to the values and standards instilled in us by the school.
“For us, it was more than just a school – it was central to our community where parents, teachers and neighbors came together to ensure that children were safe and cared for.
Community members attend the meeting.
“The friendships we made there became the fabric of the tight-knit community that we know today. On behalf of a part of the Island that has already lost so much – first with annexation of land for the U.S. base and more recently, with the loss of our post office, grocery store and restaurant – we will be making a strong and impassioned case to keep open the nurturing community school that has set up so many of us for success. Without the school St. David’s will be left derelict. This is why we are fighting for our school and for our community.”
The spokesperson said, “Anyone who would like to support the group and who opposes the closure of the school can sign our petition: https://chng.it/kbGJfHVWpS or visit the school’s Facebook page: St. David’s Primary School PTA.”
Update 3.48pm: A Ministry spokesperson said, “We recognise the deep concern and emotional investment of the St. David’s Primary School community in the future of their school. The decision to consider the closure of any school is profoundly challenging and is not approached lightly. Our commitment is to ensure all students have access to the best possible educational environment.
“As previously announced in July, a rescoring process was initiated for parishes with multiple primary school sites. This process uniquely includes a ‘History and Legacy’ component, reflecting our dedication to respecting and understanding the rich histories of our schools. Each school, including St. David’s Primary, was invited to contribute to this process by nominating three representatives for discussions with the History and Legacy Working Group. Any submissions and documentation from St. David’s or any other school have been forwarded to the Working Group and we will meet them soon.
“It’s important to underscore that the potential closure of schools is part of a broader strategy to right-size our educational system, ensuring that we can allocate resources more effectively for the holistic development of our students in a reformed educational landscape.
“Upon receipt and thorough analysis of the History and Legacy Report, alongside ongoing stakeholder consultations, we will be in a position to provide a more detailed and public update. We appreciate the patience and input of the community as we navigate these decisions with the utmost care and commitment to our children’s future.”
I agree 100% with the Islanders.
Enough is enough.
Take your politics and shove it the children just want’ to associate and learn.
Y’all are ridiculous…like it’s not that deep!
We want change, just not the kind that affects me
Every school has a history, every school has a legacy. Yet every school costs tons of money yet some do not have sufficient enrollment to support the cause. 5 children in a class does not provide the students with the best learning atmosphere nor is it financially prudent to run a school with minimal students. Imagine some of the vacated schools converted to housing and/or seniors facilities. can we stop with the selfish agendas and move forward with what is best for everyone?
The PLP government caused the exodus of Bermudians through term limit policies causing businesses to rethink where the work could be done and the closure of offices, functions and reduction in jobs for Bermudians. Also through overspending, overheating the economy through borrowing and spending an sending the cost to live in our place of birth sky rocketing. They allowed electricity costs to spiral out of control…the finger solar panel array was built at the airport, but costs to you and me as regular Bermudians has only increased. PLP allowed Bermudian owned business to be sold to foreign companies who are out of touch with Bermuda. PLP have destroyed jobs, yet the politicians seem to have done very well out of it.
If the PLP hadn’t destroyed Bermuda, there would be jobs, families and children enough for all the schools. The PLP are responsible for this, do not let them off the hook.
Looks like you need to start educating all these people who are saying they don’t understand why these schools need to close , or as they say on social media ‘make it make sense’. You seem to get it , why don’t they ?