Public input on the best way to improve the education system will start this month, the education minister said today.

Diallo Rabain said that public consultation was essential.

He added that the process will at first focus on three areas – school buildings realignment, teaching structure, and the creation of an education authority.

Mr Rabain said that a team of researchers will start to interview pupils, teachers and school principals and others “to obtain critical data about their experiences in public school education”.

He added the aim was to design an improved school system based on classroom learning.

Mr Rabain said: “They will be collecting data around what is working well, challenges encountered, improvements needed for the system, parental engagement, and community and business engagement.”

He added that teachers may have to undergo extra training if new teaching methods were introduced.

Mr Rabain said: “Part of the reform will involve training and giving them the resources in order to be successful.”

He added that changes in use of school buildings would allow the Government to abolish middle schools and create a two-tier system of primary and senior signature schools.

Mr Rabain said the redesign would “include a signature school for students with exceptionalities and one for alternative education to support students’ behaviour and mental health needs”.

He added: “Consultation with the general public will begin later this month to start the discussion around the structural realignment necessary for a reformed Bermuda public school system.”

Mr Rabain said that the Board of Education was working on the creation of an Education Authority to lead all aspects of performance management in the public education system and allow for “reformed governance and greater accountability”.

He added: “These next phases will involve the necessary collaboration to ensure the voices of our stakeholders, are part of the foundation of Education Reform.

“We intend to keep the guiding principles of transparency, inclusivity, and engagement to the redesign of the public-school system to produce a system the Bermudian public deserves.”

Mr Rabain said: “I invite everyone who is impacted in any form by the public education system to consider and share their views on the proposals for a transformed public education system when the consultation sessions are launched later this month.

“Bermuda’s young people must feel the investment of their homeland in their success.

“There is a lot of work to be done. We will continue to make the improvements and the changes necessary to bring education reform, and what is best and required to every day to build a better, fairer and stronger education system for our children and Bermuda’s future.”