The academic performance of students is improving with the introduction of signature learning programmes, the Minister of Education claimed.

Diallo Rabain provided an update on education reform in the House of Assembly on Friday, specifically the ongoing redesign work of transformation teams and the performance of students at signature schools.

The claim came after feedback from school principals at The Berkeley Institute and CedarBridge Academy — the island’s first two signature schools.

Mr Rabain said: “Continuous monitoring and feedback, including insights from signature school principals, indicate that student engagement is high in signature learning programme courses, as seen by a decrease in exam retakes and late assignment submissions compared to non-signature learning programme courses.

“Furthermore, these reports suggest that academic performance is improving.

“This information, highlighting both strengths and areas needing development, is guiding us towards our goal of becoming an adaptive learning system that utilises real-time feedback for ongoing enhancement.“

Mr Rabain highlighted the results of a survey carried out with S1 students, their parents and teachers at the schools that was conducted during the last academic year after the first and second semesters.

The results showed that about 75 per cent of students in the signature courses enjoyed what they were studying, about 70 per cent believed the programme helped them to build on their talents, and about 70 per cent believed the teachers and coursework challenged them to do their best.

Mr Rabain provided details on why more transformation teams are being recruited, following on from an initial cohort, saying the ministry had been asked whether it was because everyone involved earlier had left.

He said the ministry was also asked why the teams had not completed the work yet, and that the One Bermuda Alliance suggested that recruitment was “a backtrack on the part of the Ministry of Education and the ongoing parish primary school site selection rescoring process”.

The scoring process was revisited after education stakeholders and members of the public called for the history and legacy of schools to be included in the criteria for decisions on primary school closure.

Mr Rabain said: “We will need to recruit, induct and on-board school transformation teams each year until all continuing schools are transitioned.

“We won’t just work with those schools in the period until they open — we continue to work with them for between three and five years following.

“Why? Because that’s how change is sustained. That’s how we ensure we do not repeat the mistakes of the past, where new ideas become fads that come and go without ever changing the outcome or trajectories for our children.”

He highlighted the work of Jamie Bacon and Alex Amat of the Bermuda Zoological Society who were on the original transformation teams for senior level students.

Mr Rabain said: “With the support of Dr Ian Walker at BAMZ, [they] spent hours each week working alongside teachers, leaders, young people and the organisations that represent them, parents, and other business and community partners, painstakingly designing, testing and reimagining what high school in Bermuda really could be.”

Mr Rabain said that Dr Bacon, Dr Amat and other colleagues have since been “instrumental” in delivering the STEM signature learning programme at CedarBridge Academy.

“You will find our students conducting fieldwork alongside these industry professionals, and blending theory and practice now that they see how the knowledge they have gained is applied in the real world,” he said.

“You will see them accessing hands-on, real-world learning opportunities that enable them to develop the skills, knowledge and relationships to follow their passions, build on their talents, and achieve their career and further education aspirations.”

Mr Rabain called on members of the community to join transformation teams as part of an ongoing recruitment process.