The Minister of Education said plans for a signature school for students with special needs were being accelerated in light of limitations at the present facility, the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy.

During an update on education reform today, Diallo Rabain also addressed recent concerns from the Bermuda Union of Teachers.

Mr Rabain said that plans for the signature school for “exceptionalities”, which included the closure of the Prospect Primary School at the end of the 2025 academic year to house it, would be sped up.

Under new plans, some services may be ready at Prospect by next September.

“This change will better support our students’ needs as demand grows at Dame,” Mr Rabain explained.

“To support this, we are moving forward with the work needed to develop and transform the Prospect Primary site to provide specialised support and dedicated facilities.

He said renovation schedules would be shared as the project progressed.

Staff at the Dame Marjorie Bean staged industrial action last month amid concerns over staffing and safety.

Asked for the new timeline, Mr Rabain said it would take input from other government entities, including the Ministry of Health and Department of Child and Family Services.

Mr Rabain outlined issues around recruitment during the education reform process that had led to some industrial action by the BUT.

He said: “The road has not been without obstacles — some longstanding practices and customs have slowed our pace, and recent events have underscored the complexity of change.

“By way of example, the issues most recently raised about some of the courses that are part of the signature learning programmes at CedarBridge Academy highlight the challenges we face as we transform our system.

“We are working on the issues around recruitment and scheduling and are committed to putting the resources and necessary changes in place to address them.”

He said three people had applied to teach the engineering course in the Stem signature learning programme at CedarBridge, which had been without a qualified teacher since the programme’s inception.

A temporary teacher is in place until a candidate can be hired to the position. Funding for recruitment was not said to be an issue.

Mr Rabain also provided a recap on the next phases of the transition from a three-tier to two-tier education system.

Starting with the parish primary schools, he said that in September 2025, all primary schools would accept their usual P1 intake, excluding St George’s Preparatory School and Somerset Primary School, where no new P1 students will enrol.

The minister said recruitment for the school transition teams at Somerset and St George’s would commence soon.

He said discussions continued on the potential renewal of the contract with consultants Innovation Unit Australia New/Zealand.

Also in September 2025, parish primary schools in Smith’s and Devonshire will open at Harrington Sound Primary School and Elliot Primary School.

Mr Rabain added: “In 2026, a St George’s parish school will open at the East End Primary site with the addition of Year 7, creating a central learning hub for parish students.”

In September 2025, Sandys Secondary Middle School will transition into the island’s third senior school, featuring signature learning programmes in Hospitality and Tourism, and Education Services.

Mr Rabain said: “Sandys will continue to admit M1 students for the time being and comprehensive support will be provided for students and families to help them navigate this transition.”

He added: “Whitney Institute [Middle School] and Dellwood Middle School will continue to admit M1 students until further notice."

September 2025 will also mark the transition date for the senior schools to their five-year programme, which will be joined by Year 8 students from Warwick and Hamilton parish schools and M2 students from middle schools.

Meanwhile, the final group of M3 students will enter senior school under the present four-year model, making it the last intake for this programme.

Mr Rabain reminded the public that uniform vouchers will be available for eligible students making a transition.

Mr Rabain said that as part of a re-evaluation, the Arts and Culture programme would be integrated into the Stem programme at CedarBridge Academy to create a pathway.

Sports and Leisure Management will also be introduced within the Health and Social Care signature programme at the Berkeley Institute.

Mr Rabain said that draft legislation for an Education Authority was expected to be completed in late November, likely to be tabled in the House of Assembly in December.

He said: “The legislation will be key in building an accountable, future-focused education system.”

He said lessons had been learnt from the delayed openings of Francis Patton Primary School and Purvis Primary School to guide school development in the future.