The Senate Leader took aim at the Opposition over an opinion piece casting doubt over the Government’s education reform plans.

Owen Darrell spoke during the motion to adjourn in yesterday’s Senate session and mentioned the article that appeared in The Royal Gazette this week.

Susan Jackson, One Bermuda Alliance MP, wrote the piece, in which she said the Progressive Labour Party had "dangled the proverbial carrot“ when offering parents a $150 back-to-school grant and that there remained a ”cloud of uncertainty“ over the education plans.

Mr Darrell said: “I am asking our community, the Opposition, everyone to embrace the change in our system. It doesn’t help when the OBA gets up and makes opinion pieces about dangling carrots and using the term clouds of uncertainty and that voices are not being heard.

“I am imploring you to stand with me, embrace change, support this and get involved because our country depends on it.”

Mr Darrell said that the basis of a thriving economy and country was its education system.

“If we do not reform education, we are condemning more young people to be unemployed and to seek opportunities off island. It will likely increase the inequalities in this country along the lines of racial divide and encouraging two Bermudas.

“I don’t want to imagine the increased unemployment that will come with that, the increased inequalities, the increase in antisocial behaviour and social tension. Let’s cast our minds forward but in order to do that we must confront the reality that we must embrace change.”

Mr Darrell said that only ten per cent of high school graduates qualified with a GPA of 3.0 or above.

Mr Darrell added: “If we look across the pond, that is the average of high school graduates and some of us think we should return to the education system and step back into the system the way it was before Covid.”

Education reform plans include the phasing out of middle schools, the closure of some primary schools and the introduction of signature schools and schools for exceptional students.