Protesters turn out in public call for school’s salvation
Dozens of concerned members of the Gilbert Institute community took to the roadside in Paget this morning to protest the school’s planned closure.
Parents and alumni joined forces with several politicians, including members of the One Bermuda Alliance, to call on the Ministry of Education to spare the primary school.
Before the demonstration, Dawn Simmons, the chairwoman of the Progressive Labour Party, hit back against the OBA’s criticisms of education reforms, while Diallo Rabain, a PLP candidate and education minister, invited party members to join education discussions.
Protesters, which numbered at least 40 people and included children, held signs with slogans such as “save our school” and “education over politics” as vehicles passed the Modern Mart supermarket on South Road during the morning rush hour.
The demonstration ended with Rayki Bascome-Emery, an independent candidate running in Paget East (Constituency 22), outlining his education policy for the area, where the primary school is situated.
A mother whose child is at Gilbert Institute, who asked to remain anonymous, said that she was “shocked” by the turnout and public support.
She added that the demonstration had been the result of frustrations that were building for years.
The mother said: “People are under this narrative that this is our last-ditch effort, but really, parents have been unhappy for years.”
She added: “What shocked me the most was the public and the amount of cars honking.
“I’m talking bus drivers, every single one of them honking in support, taxi drivers, everybody on their way to work. That blew me away, to be honest.”
Gilbert Institute is one of several schools slated to close during the island’s sweeping education reform, which will see the creation of parish primary schools and signature trade schools while dissolving middle schools.
It was announced last December that the primary school would be turned into a seniors’ care facility — a pledge reiterated last week by David Burt, the Premier.
Ahead of the protest, a letter addressed to the Ministry of Education was shared with The Royal Gazette detailing the disappointment and concerns of parents.
The letter claimed that Mr Rabain, who returned today from medical leave, had failed to meet with parents to hear their views over the span of eight months, and called for a halt on plans to close primary schools.
A spokeswoman for the ministry said Mr Rabain had received the letter and acknowledged the concerns raised.
She added: “This week marks the minister’s first week in office after his medical leave. He has confirmed his intention to meet with the principal and the PTA.
“The ministry is coordinating with the school leadership to finalise a meeting date and secure questions from the PTA executive to ensure a productive meeting.”
The mother attending the protest said that many parents were previously under the impression that Gilbert Institute would be spared.
It wasn’t until a 2023 meeting, she said, when the Ministry of Education told them what would happen that “the penny really dropped”.
The mother said that the lack of answers had kept families in a state of high stress for years.
She added that many were disappointed by the way Mr Rabain handled the situation as education minister, claiming that he had been absent in meetings with Gilbert Institute parents and instead sent representatives to “do his dirty work”.
The woman said: “We’ve given the ministry every opportunity to come in and handle this properly with the parents at Gilbert.
“They have had every opportunity, and they’ve handled it so poorly that it’s shocking.
“He’s the one who made the decision, not [the Department of Education], and all they can say to us is ‘you should be talking to the minister’.”
Mr Bascome-Emery, an independent candidate running in Paget East (Constituency 22), released his education platform shortly after the Gilbert Institute demonstration.
He recognised the role the school played in the community and vowed to fight to keep it open, either as a primary school or as a charter school.
He added, however, that should closure be unavoidable, he would fight for seamless transitions into schools, all while letting parents participate in the decision-making process.
Mr Emery also hoped to build on Bermuda College’s Pace programme to expand its inclusivity and affordability while also strengthening its support services such as career counselling and job mentorship.
He said he would make sure the courses in Pace were relevant and up to date, while making sure the programme maintained strong relationships with private sector partners.
Mr Bascome-Emery advocated for creating public-private partnerships across all industries to give trainees a seamless transition into the workforce.
This would include structured training programmes and mentorship.
Mr Bascome-Emery said that his educational policies would ensure that every person within the community would be empowered, regardless of background or abilities.
He said that he would also balance the preservation of cultural heritage with economic growth.
Ben Smith, the OBA’s Deputy Leader and the Shadow Minister of Education, accused the Government of losing the trust of “parents, students and educators” over their “inconsistent stances”.
He also urged the education ministry to create an independent education authority to oversee reform.
Scott Pearman, an OBA candidate for Constituency 22, said the Government should function only in a “caretaker” role rather than engaging in policy decisions in the wake of the dissolution of Parliament after the General Election was announced.
Mr Rabain released a statement standing by his education reform plan, insisting that he was carrying out his ministry’s promise to offer trade skills at an earlier age.
He also took aim at the OBA candidates, accusing them of having inconsistent demands and “political opportunism”.
Mr Rabain added: “That said, I am pleased to see the OBA finally engaging in discussions on education reform, even if it coincides with an election.
“For years, I have extended regular invitations to the OBA to sit with the Education Reform Unit for a complete presentation on the plans and progress of reform.
“Despite this, I welcome their new-found interest and am especially encouraged to hear their support for an education authority, which is a PLP policy.”
Dawn Simmons, the PLP’s chairwoman, said this was “a blatant misrepresentation of facts” given the Government’s announcement in the House of Assembly in December of its plans for Gilbert Institute.
She added: “The OBA’s inability to keep up with developments that are shared in the legislature raises serious concerns about their credibility.
“If it cannot keep track of key announcements made in the House, how can it be trusted to govern?”
Mr Bascome-Emery accused the PLP and the OBA of political posturing, claiming that the candidates failed to say anything substantive and had hardly done anything for the school community.
He added: “So far, four different MPs from two different parties have tossed this back and forward without doing any actual advocacy for the school.
“This is what party politics is all about — empty promises without real resolve from people more interested in holding power than representing the people.”
• To read the statements from Mr Rabain, Ms Simmons and Mr Bascome-Emery in full, see Related Media
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