OBA candidate: primary schools process was ‘botched’
An opposition election candidate claimed money and time were wasted in moves to determine which primary school sites would continue to be used as their overall number was reduced.
Chris Gauntlett claimed that the education ministry “botched” the process and said schools should never have been pitted against each other.
On Wednesday, the Government backtracked on a 2021 decision to shut down West End Primary School as part of a major overhaul of the public school system.
Instead, the Somerset Primary School site will eventually be discontinued.
Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, was joined by the Premier and other MPs when announcements were made at St David’s Primary School, which was also saved from anticipated closure.
Mr Gauntlett, a One Bermuda Alliance candidate for Sandys South Central, welcomed the decision to keep West End Primary School open, but claimed that the Government mismanaged the selection process.
He said: “I celebrate, along with the West End Primary supporters, the hard-earned reversal from the Government to keep the schools open.
“In discussions with them and having attended a meeting last month, it was clear to me that the minister was ignoring their requests to meet, leading them to their next inevitable option — to demonstrate that the PLP Government would suffer at the next election if it did not reverse its decision.
“Without question, the West End Warriors are to be congratulated for their hard work.
“The heritage aspect at West End Primary is hugely relevant. It just wasn't relevant or in any way important to the PLP, until they were reminded that they work for the public — not the other way around.
“For well over a year, the children at West End Primary have struggled with the knowledge of the impending closure. The proof of that is in the much-watched video clip of the children's reaction when they learnt it wasn’t going to happen.”
Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, provided a brief update to Parliament on the status of the island’s first two parish primary schools on the Francis Patton site in Hamilton and Purvis site in Warwick.
Mr Rabain said that Purvis Parish School has capital works ongoing while a range of adaptations have been made to existing classrooms for “greater teacher collaboration across the school”.
He said: “The work, when complete, will provide eight new classroom spaces to house Year 6, 7 and 8 students.
“There are further plans in place to develop what the school is calling the Cedar Cafe, which will provide a café-style experience for students to develop their entrepreneurial skills as well as spaces for the community to access wraparound services.”
As previously reported, Lyceum Preschool has returned to the Francis Patton site having been located at the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo while construction took place for two new classrooms.
Mr Rabain said: “In the coming month, new classrooms adjoining the preschool will be completed, allowing the space to hold two preschool classes, two Year 1 classes and two Year 2 classrooms.
“Plans are in place to continue work at the school to provide additional classroom spaces as Francis Patton grows over time to have two classes of students at each year level from preschool through to Year 8.”
Mr Rabain also provided some information about the next two scheduled parish primary schools — Harrington Sound Primary School in Smith’s and Elliot Primary School in Devonshire.
He said: “These schools have brought school transformation teams into being to begin the process of developing school blueprints for their future desired state and design.
“These two schools are able to draw upon the learning from our first two parish primary schools as they undertake their transformation journey towards opening in September 2025.”
Mr Gauntlett said that the decision to keep West End open in turn meant that Somerset Primary staff and students had been now been dealt a blow.
He said: “Nobody needed a crystal ball to see what would happen if they did reverse their decision — another school would find themselves suddenly on the chopping block.”
“Now the Somerset Primary School family finds itself on the receiving end of that terrible news.”
Mr Gauntlett had been a pupil at the school as had his two children.
He said: “I can only tell you that Somerset Primary was and is an excellent school, and it forges lifelong friendships.
“Along with receiving a quality education, it was the catalyst for me forging many lifelong friends with friends from all walks of life.”
Mr Gauntlett said that the Government had dragged the selection process out, pitting supporters of both schools against each other in a battle for survival.
He said: “More times than not, people compare West End Primary and Somerset Primary and it should never have been about one school versus the other.
“Certainly none of the parents from either school wanted it to be competition. All they ultimately wanted is for the evaluation by the Ministry of Education to make sense.
“But at every step of the way, it didn't.
“The ministry botched this process — it’s that simple. Taxpayers’ money has been wasted. Time has been wasted. Now the Government is about to rinse and repeat.
“The minister should voluntarily resign. If he doesn't, the Premier should require him to do so. But who within the PLP still believes in integrity?”
The Government was asked for comment but none was received by the time of publication.
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