Promising to usher in a "New Bermuda" the Progressive Labour Party (PLP) campaign manifesto continues to be the working document of its first term as Government, Cabinet ministers have said.

In education it promised a host of measures that would make the public education system "the premier educational experience".

While the community is still concerned about the state of education, former Education Minister Milton Scott pointed to an improvement in standardised test scores at the primary level as one example of where progress had been made.

Education, being the complex issue that it is, said political scientist Walton Brown, had to do with perception as well as performance of students and teachers.

"Improving test scores can only be a partial remedy. But he (Mr. Scott) responded to the criticism of low scores," Mr. Brown said. "At least on that issue we saw some movement and a government trying to address it."

He added: "I actually think we ought to do more."

In fact, the biggest criticism from educators has been that the Government has been doing too much, too quickly.

Dissatisfaction boiled over several times in the last three years and came to a head this summer with a march on Parliament by teachers who complained about a lack of communication, facilities and what they saw as little progress being made in handling behavioural problem.

Government's response was to set up a committee of stakeholders to thrash out the issues and work on a code of conduct to be applicable to all schools.

And while low teacher morale continues to be a problem, the catalogue of accomplishments includes reduced class sizes at the primary level, the introduction of an expanded literacy programme, and a new primary curriculum which is scheduled to be implemented in the next academic year.

At other levels the Ministry has developed a comprehensive plan to raise standards in middle school and set up a committee to ensure that graduates are readily accepted in tertiary institutions.

Government also introduced, to some controversy, the TerraNova Test to measure performance trends. And it has moved towards realising its campaign promise of making principals more autonomous and accountable.

Making information technology central to the curriculum - an emphasis that had started under the previous Government - has also been pursued by the Education Ministry.

Government can also say that another aspect of its programme - improving student attendance figures - has been achieved throughout the system.

Less than a year after first assuming office an attendance unit was set up and Bermuda's first truancy officer appointed.

A renewed effort to address behavioural problems came with the establishment of The Educational Centre, designed to address a wider range of problem students than the old CADET programme.

Premier Jennifer Smith underscored the importance of education by assuming responsibility for the portfolio herself until she handed it to Senator Milton Scott three months into the first year of her leadership.

After years of turmoil, the Bermuda College is only this year beginning to have a semblance of stability with a new chairman and president.

A Cabinet shuffle saw former Home Affairs Minister Paula Cox take over the portfolio this month.