Shadow Education Minister Grant Gibbons repeated calls for an independent education standards board to track the Ministry of Education's progress.

His comments followed Government's release of a five-year strategic plan for public schools.

Dr. Gibbons said the UBP had been calling for a plan since the Hopkins Report was released back in 2007.

"We support many of the objectives within the plan, such as improving the quality of teaching, empowering principals and local school boards and increasing accountability at the school level," he said.

"Where we have consistently differed with Government, and have said so, is with their apparent inability to achieve the timely implementation of the Hopkins recommendations.

"The Government continues to say the right things about education, yet it has failed to deliver significant change to the system. That's why many people in the community are frustrated and sceptical. Progress has been too slow and, for many schoolchildren, too late."

Dr. Gibbons said in order to be credible the plan should be accompanied by a "tangible commitment" from Government to keep the public informed of progress.

"Minister James states that he would 'return to the [plan] on an annual basis to assess our progress and refine our objectives for the period ahead'. Given the Government's record so far, I believe that promise is not good enough.

"What's needed is an independent education standards board, an educational equivalent of the Auditor General. The standards board would have free access to information.

"It would independently track progress in education reform and meaningful student improvement. It would provide credibility to the public education system and act as a watchdog by publishing assessments for the benefit of parents and the public.

"Such a board is not a pipe dream. They work well in other countries, such as the UK and New Zealand."

Dr. Gibbons said the Joint Select Committee (JSC) on Education — the Parliamentary committee established to review progress on the Hopkins Report — may be Bermuda's best alternative.

"The Minister could commit right now for his Ministry to provide detailed quarterly updates on how the Ministry is meeting the plan's objectives to the JSC in open forum. The precedent has been set. The United Bermuda Party calls on Government to do its part to reactivate this Parliamentary committee and use it to report progress on education reform."

He continued: "Use the open forum of the JSC to add substance to the broad objectives of the five-year strategic plan as it now exists. Provide specific tactics, release timelines and deadlines, assign responsibility for tasks and define specifically how success will be measured.

"These details should be disclosed and regularly updated. Otherwise, the plan may amount to nothing more than words and more empty promises. The United Bermuda Party believes the public will welcome the opportunity for consultation and input on the plan as outlined by the Minister. Good ideas on public education should be welcomed, regardless of the source."