Education Platform 2010

Overview

Background

• Bermuda’s education system boasts the highest costs per student world-wide with many diverse programs within the public school arena; however performance, as measured by student outcomes is woefully sub-standard.
• This is due to a number of historical problems including failed leadership, a lack of accountability and transparency within the system, and an inconsistent alignment of curriculum.
• The future of Bermuda and our Island’s continued success depends on our children being effectively educated.

Problems

• A top heavy and ineffective Ministry of Education.
• An under-performing public school system, resulting in lack of public confidence, and withdrawal of large numbers of students.
• Discipline problems involving both behaviorally and academically challenged children police resources.
• Inconsistent and poor quality teaching in many classrooms throughout the school system.
• A legacy of “social promotion” where students are advanced without attaining the required standards for promotion.
• Failure to effectively guide students towards careers which support the Bermuda economy.
• Repetitive reviews and use of consultants, at great expense, without implementation of recommendations.
• A poorly managed, substantive and excessive budget resulting in a economic crisis within the Ministry.

A Better Way

Solutions

• Immediate implementation of the Hopkins Report recommendations.
• Implement a moratorium on further reports and consultants until the Hopkins Report recommendations are fully enacted.
• Stop social promotion by implementing rigorous programs to ensure that students are prepared to move on to the next academic level.
• Enforce the established “Code of Conduct” to address disciplinary issues within the classroom, combined with an outreach program for parents, reviewing and supporting their responsibilities.
• Publish the results of annual standardized exams in a timely manner and hold Ministry employees accountable for these results.
• Hire and maintain the best teachers based on a contractual performance review.
• Explore the provision of a Government coordinated island-wide after school sports and arts program for students.
• Make teaching of Bermuda’s economy, history and culture mandatory. It is important that all students know how our society functions and the role they play.
• Create a central and non-partisan agency for applying for scholarships

Summary 

The Bermuda Democratic Alliance believes that the future of Bermuda and our Island’s continued success depends on our children being effectively educated.

Education is also a key factor in correcting Bermuda’s social-economic disparities, which are increasingly manifesting themselves with escalating anti-social behavior.

The Bermuda Democratic Alliance believes that education is a core issue which must be immediately addressed to ensure a viable future.