"The greatest social challenge is ahead of us - a large ageing workforce that is growing and fewer younger people to take positions of leadership in our community."

So says one of Bermuda's newest MPs - Shadow Education Minister Neville Darrell.

And how does Mr. Darrell, plan to rise to that challenge?

"The key challenge is to ensure that the educational experience is of such value that they assume the responsibility of leadership in this country," the United Bermuda Party's representative for Warwick West said.

"So my position will be simply to advocate the quality of educational experience that I think will do just that."

"And the road to improving Bermuda's public education system has to begin with a long hard look at what we would like the end product to look like. I don't think there really is a clear vision of what it is that we actually produce at the end of the public education system.

"Specifically, what does a student look like who has a Bermuda Secondary School certificate? What are the characteristics that define that student? If we know clearly what it is that we want to produce as an outcome, then it's easier for us to work backwards to ensure that everything is in place to bring about that student that we want."

Mr. Darrell was handed the UBP's education portfolio shortly after his decisive win in the July General Election.

He had previously served as a UBP Senator and prior to that was a career civil servant.

He was vaulted into the public limelight when, as executive officer of the Human Rights Commission, he clashed with then Human Affairs Minister Terry Lister over the handling of a complaint against the Bank of Bermuda, and left the job under less than clear circumstances.

But the dispute had absolutely nothing to do with his decision to enter politics, Mr. Darrell said.

"That would be shallow thinking carried to an extreme - that the only reason I was involved was a difference of opinion with someone else. It would be to minimise the commitment that I have brought to national life."

His participation in politics is a natural progression from his life as a civil servant in Canada and Bermuda.

"My whole professional life has been devoted to what's often referred to as the social policy fields."

His "ideal" graduate of a Bermuda education will have a "demonstrated competency with the core curriculum", good "interpersonal and interpersonal skills" and be computer literate, he said.

That student would also be skilled at critical thinking and communication, he continued.

"Part of the discussion that we have been having overlooks what it is we are really seeking to achieve. Maybe the discussion should focus on what it is we really want as an outcome and then what do we really need to do to bring about that outcome."

Society owes Bermudian children a good education because it's their right, he said.

"It is their birthright. We respond to the needs of children not just out of human compassion, but children have a basic right to a good quality education and I think a high quality education is the responsibility of any government."

The former Salvation Army officer was raised at Khyber Pass, Warwick and educated locally at Northlands and the Berkeley Institute.