Statement by Ben Smith, Leader of the Opposition:
The One Bermuda Alliance supports the establishment of an independent Education Authority. We have advocated for this reform because Bermuda needs a public education system that delivers better results for our children.
After reviewing the legislation, attending briefings and consulting with educators, parents and other stakeholders, the OBA has identified ten areas where the Bill should be changed to achieve the desired outcome because we believe the PLP’s Bill will lead to failure unless these improvements are made.
Our proposed improvements are:
1. Put student outcomes first. Make improved learning, student progress and educational opportunity the Authority’s primary legal responsibility.
2. Require independent assessments. Establish external evaluations of schools and the Authority itself, with clear action when performance falls short.
3. Protect independence from political interference. Use an independent, merit-based selection process for the founding Board, with the founding Board to then select its Chair and appoint the CEO.
4. Give every school its own governing board. Introduce individual primary-school boards through a funded recruitment and training programme, with temporary shared arrangements where necessary.
5. Make generic educational results public. Publish regular reports on literacy, numeracy, student progress, attendance and access to support services, while giving parents and students a meaningful voice.
6. Make ministerial directions transparent. Require directions to the Authority to be published and laid before the Legislature, with regular reporting throughout the transition.
7. Account for every dollar. Ensure the Independent Education Authority budget is subject to Parliamentary scrutiny by separately identifying the line item costs of running the existing education system, establishing the Authority, and improving services being transferred from the Ministries of Health and Works & Engineering.
8. Support effective teaching, teacher training and fair employment practices. Establish clear professional standards, development opportunities, accountability and fair employment protections.
9. Provide support when students need it. Strengthen early intervention, specialist services, mental-health support, attendance programmes and assistance for families whose children need additional educational help.
10.Strengthen independent oversight. Protect lawful disclosures, establish effective complaints and appeal procedures, and ensure that the Authority is accountable to Parliament and the public.
These are not proposals to delay education reform. They are intended to ensure that the education reform actually establishes the independence, accountability and resources necessary for our children to succeed.
Recent independent assessment results have again highlighted longstanding weaknesses in educational performance. We need to know what happens when those weaknesses are identified, what support follows, and whether that support produces improvement for our children.
The Minister stated the Authority should ultimately be judged by what the Authority changes for children in Bermuda’s classrooms. We agree, but how much longer must we wait?
That commitment must be reflected in the legislation.
We have waited a long time for an independent Education Authority. Implementation will take years. Taking additional time now to strengthen the framework is a reasonable step towards ensuring that the Independent Education Authority delivers the improvements our children deserve.
The measure of success cannot simply be that Bermuda has established an Education Authority. It must be that our children are receiving a better education.
