Rescoring of West End Primary is an odd decision, says OBA’s Smith
The Government’s announcement that it will re-evaluate the scoring that was used to decide the closure of West End Primary School has thrown up more questions than answers, the shadow education minister has said.
Ben Smith attended a town hall meeting at the school on Tuesday evening when the news was disclosed by David Burt and Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education.
The Premier told the 200-strong audience that the Government would honour a request by the campaign group West End Warriors to re-evaluate the scoring of the Sandys school.
Mr Smith said: “The devil is in the detail. What will be changed? How will it be changed? Who will be involved? What is the cost of the change?
“If you have to do the rescoring for all of the other schools, you have already closed schools using the broken system. It seems odd.
“The minister said we are talking ten years [to complete education reforms] as it is. Are we putting it further into the future? It is a really long time and a lot of children are caught in the transition.”
As part of the Government’s sweeping education reforms, eight primary schools are going under the axe.
The Government has said that the criteria for which primary schools would close was based on the adaptability of the school buildings for redevelopment accommodating 21st-century learning.
It said that preschools will be on the same premises as primary schools to reduce the number of transitions a child has to make throughout their education.
Mr Smith said another important question that went unanswered was what will happen to the buildings of the schools that are closed.
He said: “There will be big properties left without a usage — that is part of the conversation that needs to take place. You have Sandys 360 that has been rotting away all this time. Will the Sandys community have another one of those in proximity to houses?”
The Premier David Burt and the Minister of Education Diallo Rabain attended a town hall meeting at West End Primary and addressed the Sandys community directly regarding the ongoing education reform in Bermuda.
Both the Premier and education minister comprehensively laid out the key points of discussion and the next steps to be taken.
Those in attendance were reminded of the long journey the Government has travelled to provide the best education environment for Bermuda’s students since the reform was initiated in 2017.
Since the reform’s initiation, the process has considered input from hundreds of meetings with technical officers, stakeholders and the general public; thousands of written submissions from the public; and countless reports in support of the ‘Vision for Change for Education in Bermuda’.
The vision of education reform includes implementing a 21st Century education system by way of the introduction of an Education Authority, a Revised Curriculum, Signature Schools and Parish Primary Schools across the island.
The reform intends to provide students and their families with more choices over what they learn, how they learn, and have more opportunities beyond school for employment, further study and entrepreneurial opportunities.
The town hall held evidenced a commitment from the Premier and the Minister of Education to hear and receive feedback about the proposals from the West End and members of the Sandys community on the topic of education reform.
Prior to the meeting the Premier and minister held two private meetings with the West End Warrior Group to enhance the understanding of the various perspectives with a goal to advance reform in the best interest of Bermuda’s students.
In response to the concerns raised during the meeting, the Government announced that it would revisit the scoring process and that there would be enhanced consideration for legacy, specifically for parishes with more than one school.
The Government is steadfast and committed in its commitment to advance education for Bermuda’s students to ensure the education they receive is relevant both in Bermuda and globally.
Next Steps
• Historical Consideration: A History and Legacy Committee will be established later this year to ensure the rich histories and legacies of Bermuda’s schools are honoured and preserved in the reform process.
• Re-evaluation: The scoring process for parishes with more than one Primary School will be re-evaluated to address concerns raised by the West End Warriors.
• Continued Dialogue: The Ministry of Education will maintain open lines of communication with all stakeholders, particularly groups such as the West End Warriors, to ensure all viewpoints are considered in this pivotal process.
Mr Rabain said: “Education is the foundation on which our island’s prosperity is built and the Ministry of Education is committed to making the necessary decisions to support our children’s growth and a brighter future for Bermuda.
“The ministry appreciates the patience, cooperation and the input of all involved parties as we work together to reform Bermuda’s education for the better and equip students with the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
“The engagement during the town hall not only represents the fulfilment of the Government’s pledge to meet with the West End community, but also the determination to implement an education system for the 21st Century for the advancement of Bermuda’s students.”
Founded in 1869, West End Primary School was one of the first schools in Bermuda to provide education to Black pupils during the time of racially segregated schooling on the island.
In 2021, the Government announced its closure in favour of Somerset Primary School.
Since then the West End Warriors has submitted a petition, held a series of meetings and demonstrated with a motorcade.
The group also spoke out at a town hall meeting on school reforms in November that was attended by the Premier and Mr Rabain.
The Government’s sweeping education reforms would see one primary school in each parish, with the exception of Pembroke, which would have two.
• This story has been updated to include a comment from the Government.
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