Ending the practice of social promotion in schools will ensure that students can develop “suitably and adequately” in the public system, according to Wayne Scott, the Minister of Education.

Mr Scott told a press conference this morning that the policy of pupils automatically moving through the school grades was not as widely practised as some might assume.

But he maintained that the ministry would continue to focus on identifying and addressing any challenges that students may face inside and outside the classroom and provide the necessary support.

“Allowing a child to progress through the system without demonstrating a sufficient grasp of concepts or developing their skills to acceptable levels ensures continuing academic struggle and, as life continues, potential problems of functionality,” Mr Scott said.

The Government’s Throne Speech outlined plans to implement alternative career pathways through City and Guilds for students, as well as increase and diversify scholarships and awards for students who pursue post secondary educational studies.

“The intent is to take into account additional requirements for granting awards such as student innovation, creativity, talent, determination, leadership and financial need,” Mr Scott said.

He added: “The Ministry of Education will produce a plan of action to improve the quality and prevalence of in-school information technology.

“We will bring together staff, parents, community members and the Board of Education to develop a community-owned strategic plan.

“The plan will lay down a path for the ongoing transformation of public education and will focus on implementable and achievable priorities and goals to help prepare our students for continued success.”

Mr Scott said Government would continue to push through education initiatives that had already begun, including the three-year school improvement plan, improving the use of the Bermuda College Stem centre and addressing facility challenges outlines in the Score report.

Ending the practice of social promotion in schools will ensure that students can develop “suitably and adequately” in the public system, according to Wayne Scott, the Minister of Education.

Mr Scott told a press conference this morning that the policy of pupils automatically moving through the school grades was not as widely practised as some might assume.

But he maintained that the ministry would continue to focus on identifying and addressing any challenges that students may face inside and outside the classroom and provide the necessary support.

“Allowing a child to progress through the system without demonstrating a sufficient grasp of concepts or developing their skills to acceptable levels ensures continuing academic struggle and, as life continues, potential problems of functionality,” Mr Scott said.

The Government’s Throne Speech outlined plans to implement alternative career pathways through City and Guilds for students, as well as increase and diversify scholarships and awards for students who pursue post secondary educational studies.

“The intent is to take into account additional requirements for granting awards such as student innovation, creativity, talent, determination, leadership and financial need,” Mr Scott said.

He added: “The Ministry of Education will produce a plan of action to improve the quality and prevalence of in-school information technology.

“We will bring together staff, parents, community members and the Board of Education to develop a community-owned strategic plan.

“The plan will lay down a path for the ongoing transformation of public education and will focus on implementable and achievable priorities and goals to help prepare our students for continued success.”

Mr Scott said Government would continue to push through education initiatives that had already begun, including the three-year school improvement plan, improving the use of the Bermuda College STEM centre and addressing facility challenges outlines in the SCORE report.

Meanwhile, Senator Georgia Marshall has claimed that replacing the Cambridge curriculum is not the answer to improving Bermuda’s public school system.

Speaking in the Senate on Wednesday, Ms Marshall, from the One Bermuda Alliance, agreed that the public education system needed close attention, but stressed her belief that “chopping and changing was not the way to go”.

“It is soul-destroying for people who work in education not knowing, year to year, if the system is going to be overhauled — and there is no buy-in to long-term improvement,” she said.

“We have made a commitment to the Cambridge curriculum, and it’s a multiyear process.

“Do we have work to do? Absolutely. Are we getting there? Perhaps less quickly than we would like. But in order to see results, we need to stick with the system.”

Independent senator James Jardine spoke of the “urgent need” to address the failings in the island’s education system.

Mr Jardine pointed to the Cambridge Primary Checkpoint results released in April, which showed Bermuda’s public schools lagging seriously behind the international average — approximately 30 per cent behind in English, 31 per cent in science and 50 per cent behind in maths.

IGCSE results last year also showed that only 33 per cent of public school students in Bermuda received passing grades between A* and C, compared to the international average of 81.5 per cent.

“Clearly there is a lot of work to be done in our system. Education helps to form the goals and aspirations of our young people, and we are failing them,” Mr Jardine said.

• For Mr Scott’s remarks in full, click on the PDF under “Related Media”