The loss of TN Tatem Middle School is “like a death”, a former teacher said yesterday.

The teacher, who asked not to be named, said that current and former teachers were “heartbroken” by the decision to permanently close the Warwick public school.

She said: “There have been teachers who cried. It’s a sad, sad time. We love our school. It is an amazing school.”

The teacher, who said that there was a “legacy” that surrounded TN Tatem, continued: “It is a huge Warwick icon.

“There’s now a huge hole in Warwick. There’s a huge part of Warwick Parish missing now.”

Diallo Rabain, the education minister, announced yesterday that the school had been permanently closed.

The teacher said that turnout for consultation meetings was low because involved parties believed the decision to permanently close the school was a foregone conclusion.

They added: “It was them just going through the motions. It was just a façade.”

Mr Rabain insisted at a press conference yesterday that the decision was not a foregone conclusion.

Mr Rabain explained: “We committed to a consultation. The decision could have gone either way.”

On the plan to accommodate all public middle school pupils in four middle schools, the teacher said: “It’s not in the best interest of our children to have 25 students in a classroom. It is not best practice.”

The Bermuda Union of Teachers did not respond to a request for comment by press time yesterday.