Column: OBA’s Ben Smith On Education & More
[Opinion column written by the Opposition Leader Ben Smith]
Education is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of any government. On that measure, the PLP Government has failed Bermuda.
The latest statement from the Minister of Education raises more questions than answers. After eight years of transformation, school closures, consultant reports, restructuring plans and millions of taxpayer dollars spent, the Minister is now telling Bermuda that timelines have been rescinded because Government still needs a better understanding of its school buildings, infrastructure requirements and future enrolment projections.
Let us remember what Bermudians were previously told. Former Education Minister Diallo Rabain repeatedly assured the country that Government would take its time, “measure twice and cut once,” and ensure that decisions were carefully planned before implementation.
Now, eight years later, Minister Caesar is effectively telling the public that Government is still looking for the measurements.
If that is the case, what exactly has this Government been doing for the better part of a decade? Parents have been forced to take decisions about their children’s future based on a transformation plan that now appears to have no clear direction. Teachers and principals have endured years of uncertainty. Students have lived through disruption after disruption.
Schools that were previously marked for closure were suddenly given a reprieve, and now the Minister’s latest comments create fresh uncertainty about what happens next.
Parents who chose schools after the Government pressed pause are now left wondering whether those same schools may once again find themselves on the chopping block.
Families deserve certainty. Instead, they have been given confusion. That is not transformation. That is chaos.
The Minister’s statement was filled with references to progress, planning and ongoing work. Yet there was no evidence of improved literacy rates, improved numeracy rates, improved examination results, improved attendance or improved student achievement. There were no measurable outcomes that would justify eight years of disruption.
Senator David Rogers was absolutely correct when he recently described Bermuda’s education system as being in a state of emergency.
An emergency is not defined by the dedication of our teachers, principals and school staff, who continue to do their best every day.
The emergency is a Government that cannot clearly explain what has been achieved, what the plan is going forward, or when Bermudians can expect results.
The Minister seems far more comfortable at photo opportunities than she is answering basic questions about the future of Bermuda’s public schools.
The contrast could not be more striking. The Minister found time to stand for photographs celebrating road paving near Port Royal, yet the educators, parents and staff affected by her decisions are still waiting for answers. Bermuda’s children do not need another photo opportunity. They need leadership, clarity and a Government that knows where it is taking the education system.
The reality is becoming increasingly difficult for the Government to avoid. After eight years, the PLP Government must admit that its education transformation agenda has failed to deliver the certainty, accountability and measurable improvement that Bermudians were promised.
The Minister should stop hiding behind slogans and process language and tell the public the truth: what is the plan, what are the timelines, and what measurable improvements have been achieved?
If the Government now admits that it still does not have the information needed to make informed decisions about school infrastructure, enrolment and long-term planning, then it must also admit that the promises, timelines and assurances given to the public over the last eight years were built on a foundation that was nowhere near as solid as Bermudians were led to believe.
Bermudians have waited long enough. Our children cannot afford another year of public education under this Minister.
- Opposition Leader and Shadow Education Minister Ben Smith
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