Parents of children at Whitney Institute Middle School have written to the Minister of Education urging a rethink of the Government’s decision to halt enrolment for M2 students next year.

In a letter dated Wednesday, they said that Reeshemah Swan, the school’s principal, met parents to discuss numerous concerns but ministry representatives did not attend.

It was announced this month that, starting in September 2025, students who have completed M2 and M3 by June 2025 will transition directly to senior schools.

The parents wrote a letter to Diallo Rabain, seen by The Royal Gazette, listing concerns including the lack of a clear plan for the M2 cohort.

The ministry has been approached for comment.

Concerns were raised about The Berkeley Institute being oversubscribed.

It was claimed that the school had informed parents it could not safely accommodate M2 students along with M3 students due to arrive next September.

A sick-out at CedarBridge Academy last month was highlighted, with parents asking if resources were in place for some of its signature learning programmes.

The group questioned whether children were ready for senior school in the next academic year, citing the age disparity with seniors and younger students not yet knowing their career choices.

They wrote: “Please note that we are not against change as we know that progress comes with change.”

The group added it was against “doing things in haste” as well as children’s “best interest not being paramount”.

They requested “honest, open, transparent dialogue” with ministry representatives about “the plans you have for our children”.

The letter added: “They have expressed their individual concerns to us, their parents, as well as their teachers. Our children are feeling unheard, their feelings are valid.”

Further unease was expressed about Elliot Primary School and Harrington Sound Primary School being insufficiently equipped to house P8-level children.

The letter added: “Whitney is not currently a part of the ministry’s plans after 2026, so what does that mean for the siblings of our current Whitney Institute Middle School students?”

Parents claimed there was a lack of planning for services and extra support for neurodiverse pupils.

They said they were “extremely disheartened” that ministry representatives did not attend the meeting, and that they felt expected to accept information “without rebuttal”.

The letter continued: “We can appreciate that this is not an easy feat and that there are a lot of moving parts to educational reform.

“However, as parents we need to be able to anchor to the plan and support our children through the process confidently.

“We cannot do that at this time without concrete answers. We do understand that plans can change and we are OK with that as long as our children are not negatively impacted.”

Parents said they were open to having M2 students move into M3 in middle school and mature to senior school under the existing system.

They added: “Accountability is a must. We are hoping that you are able to provide answers to our concerns as well as be open to an ongoing, honest dialogue about what comes next for our children.”

When its plans were announced, the ministry said: “As we progress with these reforms, the Ministry of Education is dedicated to maintaining open and transparent communication with all stakeholders.

“As stated, we will provide regular updates through revised means, in addition to the multiple current channels, including social media, newsletters, radio and community engagements, ensuring that families, educators, students and community members remain informed.”