The Government must prioritise in its Budget the provision of a robust foundation in reading for children, an education expert insisted yesterday.

Rebecca Ausenda, the founder and executive director of the Bermuda Education Network, highlighted the need to support the implementation of a US-based phonics programme to improve outcomes.

Her comments came ahead of Friday’s Budget when the Government will lay out its financial agenda for the year ahead.

Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, has pledged that the Budget will make sure that every student receives a high-quality education.

Ms Ausenda said: “Ensuring a robust foundation in reading and preschool education is paramount for any government striving to enhance its education outcomes.

“While numerous avenues exist for educational investment, the consensus remains clear that achieving high standards in reading instruction is a non-negotiable priority.

“Recent educational research has conclusively demonstrated that the ‘whole language’ approach is ineffective for many children, emphasising the urgency for a shift towards evidence-based methodologies.

“In line with this, the upcoming introduction of a phonics programme from the University of Florida Literacy Institute in Bermuda's public primary schools is a significant step towards addressing this fundamental need.

“To propel the transformation of the education system, the Government must prioritise this initiative in its Budget, providing not only curriculum materials but allocating additional teaching resources, coaches and a project management team, which will be required for successful implementation.

“All too often when important new education initiatives are introduced, the plan falters because the Department of Education failed to allocate the necessary resources.”

Ms Ausenda said it was imperative that Bermuda aligned itself with local and global trends, pointing out that 37 states and the District of Columbia in the United States had implemented evidence-based reading instruction policies.

Somersfield Academy and Saltus Grammar School also took similar steps recently.

BEN, a charity that supports teachers and students, also works to enhance the curriculum and improve reading comprehension outcomes through its Horizon programme, which works with experiential learning organisations.

Ms Ausenda said: “Furthermore, to strengthen the education system's foundation, the Government should commit to adding a preschool year to the new parish schools.

“The Cambridge International Curriculum which Bermuda’s public primary schools use, is designed to include preschool.

“It is inequitable that some students start primary school without the benefit of an early years education.

“This is the No 1 issue that educators in our network have raised as likely to have the most transformative effect on primary education.

“It therefore joins reading on the podium as our No 2 budgetary priority — to ensure that more children receive appropriate preschool education so that they are ready to learn to read with the new UFLI curriculum and are able to fully participate in the Cambridge International Curriculum for long-term academic success.”

Mr Rabain said: “Working with the Department of Education, we have produced a budget that meticulously balances the needs of our education system, ensuring that every student receives the high-quality education they deserve.

“Our team works tirelessly to allocate resources in a manner that supports both current operational needs and the critical reforms necessary for future excellence.”

Ben Smith, the shadow education minister, said more money should be allocated towards paying substitute teachers.

In September, the Bermuda Union of Teachers called for an overhaul of the leadership at the education department and claimed its members were enduring “financial disruption”, not least subs, as a result of delayed payment and non-payment of wages.

Mr Smith said: “There are not enough substitutes due to people being pulled for the education reform. There seems to be a delay in payment and in some cases it has been months without pay.

“There should also be an increase given in order to supplement parents that have students with special needs.

“Many are having to take the children to schools better equipped for different learning with a huge financial burden.”

Rajai Denbrook, the PTA president for St George’s Preparatory School, said funds allocated for the education department must stay there and not be funnelled into education reform.

He said: “As the Ministry of Education endeavours to get education reform right, it's important to ensure that schools that are operational, which fall under the administrative remit of the Department of Education, remain adequately resourced to ensure the robust delivery of public school programming in the midst of reform.

“Reform is a balancing act where standards cannot be allowed to fall anywhere due to a disproportionate allocation of resources that prioritise reform.”

Ms Ausenda said “the elephant in the room” must also be addressed — the formation of a new governance model for the public education system.

"Instead of thinking about how the limited education budget can be tweaked to create better outcomes, government should create a new paradigm,“ she suggested.

“The reform that is most urgently needed will allow school communities to cut through red tape and find their own solutions to the numerous challenges they face.

“Government already promised an Education Authority and that the new parish primary schools would each have their own board. What’s the hold up?

“What lessons have been learnt from the construction project delays and human resources challenges at Purvis and Francis Patton?

“A portion of the education budget needs to be reallocated to support the acceleration of a new governance model by local education experts, not overseas consultants, and we need action, not rhetoric.”