The Ministry of Education has said its $2.5 million investment in the foreign consultant Innovation Unit reflects its “commitment to reforming the public education system”.

The Royal Gazette reported last week that the extended contract brought the total amount paid to the firm since 2020 to $8,394,702.

A spokeswoman for the ministry said Innovation Unit [formerly Innovation Unit Australia/New Zealand] had worked closely with local teams including the Governance Committee, the Education Reform Unit, working groups for each work stream and School Transformation teams.

The ERU comprises 14 Bermudian professionals, educators and technical service providers.

The spokeswoman said it has accomplished “significant milestones in transforming our public education system”.

She added: "The IU will continue its work alongside the ERU to launch the third senior signature school at Sandys Secondary Middle School, and two parish primary schools at the Harrington Sound Primary School and Elliot Primary School sites in September.

“They will support the Year 9 and senior seminar curriculum writing teams with middle and senior schoolteachers."

She said that the ministry remained dedicated to transparency, collaboration and ensuring that reforms benefit all stakeholders.

When IU’s contract was announced by Diallo Rabain, the education minister at the time, he said the consultancy would begin at the end of March 2020 and extend until September 2022 at a cost of $2.1 million, revised from an original estimate of $950,000.