this week to return to school for training.

Principals are taking part in workshops on budgeting and interview skills, while teachers are attending training sessions specific to different subjects.

At the primary level, English, language and art teachers will have two days of training focussing on teacher strategies in order to increase student achievement, while math teachers will be looking at algebra.

At the Whitney Institute, some middle school teachers will be looking at ways to integrate literacy into various different subjects, while at the Aquarium and Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, science and math teachers will be finding new ways to integrate their subjects.

Education Minister Senator Milton Scott said a wide range of specific courses at the senior level include strategies for teaching classes with a range of different abilities, along with reading strategies, assessment and using technology.

And he said 12 teachers and five education officers had also gone to the University of Virginia as part of an on-going training programme focussing on infusing technology into all parts of the curriculum.

Sen. Scott said he was very pleased with the programme of training available.

He said: "It is important that we invest in our teachers and provide opportunities for professional development.

"The training available this week is part of an on-going programme that takes us well into next year.

"We make sure that there are regular days set aside for in-service staff development days and after-school training. These are designed on the basis of requests from principals and other needs identified by our assessment procedures.

"For example, we will shortly be conducting an analysis to see what teachers need in the way of technology training.

"Based on the findings of that study, we will supplement the existing training programme with suitable workshops.'' Educators and the Bermuda Union of Teachers (BUT) praised Government for some of the initiatives it had introduced to the school system.

However, they urged the Education Ministry to ensure that all teachers were regularly and vigorously trained, so the initiatives were not wasted.

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