Parents make last-ditch effort to save Gilbert Institute
Parents of children attending Gilbert Institute have written to the Department of Education expressing “deep concern and disappointment” about the decision to close the school, and the enrolment options now available to them.
The letter, which has been shared with The Royal Gazette and was addressed to Crystal Caesar, the Acting Minister of Education, Lisa Smith, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Education, and Sue Smith, the ministry’s administration assistant, called for a halt on plans to close the primary school in June.
David Burt, the Premier, said last week that the school is to be converted into a seniors daycare facility this year, but the One Bermuda Alliance has questioned his authority to do so, given that Parliament had been dissolved when he called the General Election.
The Opposition has demanded an “immediate pause on the current education reform initiatives” which includes the closure of primary schools, the transition from a three-tier public education system to a two-tier system abolishing middle schools, and the creation of parish primary schools as well as signature learning schools at the senior level.
Meanwhile, an online petition calling for Gilbert Institute to be saved has attracted 435 signatures.
The parents said in their letter that Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, before going on medical leave, had failed to attend meetings last year on the matter. They said they felt their voices were not being heard and that they would like to meet with ministry representatives urgently.
They wrote: “First and foremost, we want to state unequivocally that we reject the closure of Gilbert Institute as well as the transition plan, and the lack of clear and transparent information regarding how and why Gilbert Institute was selected for closure.
“This decision has left us feeling unheard and dismissed as stakeholders in our children’s education and as taxpaying citizens.
“Unfortunately, the minister’s absence from the meetings held at Gilbert Institute regarding the school closures has prevented us from addressing our concerns directly with him.
“While we understand he is now on medical leave, the ministry’s responsibility to the school, parents and constituents does not change.
“This lack of engagement has added to our frustration and uncertainty.”
June 24: An e-mail was sent to parents (forwarded by Jana Pitcher, the principal of Gilbert Institute, but originally from Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education) announcing the closure [of the school] and notifying parents about a meeting on June 25 to address questions and concerns. Parents were given less than 24 hours’ notice for the meeting. The minister did not attend.
November 19: The Department of Education gave a presentation about the transition plan for children of closing schools, but, again, the minister did not attend.
November 28: The PTA president sent a letter requesting a meeting with the minister. A meeting has not been scheduled to date.
November 29: During a demonstration held by St George’s Preparatory School’s PTA, the minister promised a meeting to anyone who requested one. To date, Gilbert Institute is still waiting to meet with the minister.
• Information taken from the letter from parents to the Department of Education
The parents made the case that Gilbert Institute has been a cornerstone of the community since it opened in 1933, “serving as a vital part of the neighbourhood for 92 years”.
They said the school and others like it serve as “community hubs that provide stability and connection for families”.
They also spoke of “deep historical and cultural significance”.
Last May, the Government reversed its decision to close St David’s Primary School and West End Primary School as part of its education reform plans in the wake of community pushback.
The move followed a rescoring process that integrated a history and legacy component that was not included in the original assessment of which schools should close.
Ben Smith, OBA deputy leader and the Shadow Minister of Education, said in a statement yesterday that the Government’s “inconsistent stances” on the closure of schools led to “uncertainty and a loss of trust among parents, students and educators”.
He added: “We propose the establishment of an independent education authority tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the proposed reforms.
“This body would ensure that any changes to our public education system are thoughtfully considered, transparent and in the best interests of all stakeholders.
“The most important factor would be the removal of political interference.”
Scott Pearman, an OBA MP for the area in Paget, said that by announcing the school is to be converted into a seniors care facility, the Premier is ignoring established rules and conventions.
Mr Pearman said: “This is now the pre-election period. By longstanding convention in our Westminster system, government ministers, including the Premier, are prohibited from taking any policy decisions until after the election has been held. The Burt government is now only a ‘caretaker government’.
“[His] announcement that Gilbert Institute will become a care facility for seniors is a policy decision the PLP government does not have the authority to take now that Parliament has been dissolved.”
Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the Minister of Public Works, said in December that “to meet the high demand for seniors’ care”, the Government had decided to turn the site into a seniors care facility.
He added then: “The Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors, under whom this will fall is already collaborating with the Ministry of Public Works to advance this initiative before the school closes so that conversion works can commence immediately upon closure.”
The parents said in their letter to the education ministry, dated January 28, that transition plans were not clear and that they did not have a sufficient information about which schools to enrol their children in after Gilbert closes.
They wrote: “When the Department of Education visited Gilbert on November 19, 2024 to explain the transition application process, it became evident that while we were told there would be enough spots for transitioning students, we were not informed that we would have no choice in schools or that no additional space would be created to accommodate our children.
“Of the five schools presented as options, one is also slated for closure within the next one to two years and another has no available space for students from P1 to P5. This lack of transparency and planning has left us feeling blindsided and frustrated.”
They referenced “unresolved issues” at Paget Primary School, one of the options for transitioning students, with regards to the directorate, staff and neighbourhood surroundings.
“If no other suitable placements are made available, we will be forced to send our children to a school where we have serious reservations about their safety and wellbeing,” the parents added.
“This is an unacceptable situation for children who are already facing the challenge of transitioning to a new environment.”
They also questioned the strategy for transitioning teachers to new roles or schools, adding, “transparency on this matter is critical to rebuilding trust and ensuring stability for both educators and students”.
A public demonstration is due to be staged at Modern Mart in Paget this morning from 8am to 8.30am opposing the closure of the school.
The One Bermuda Alliance’s latest release is a blatant misrepresentation of facts and a clear indication of a party that cannot even remember what was discussed in Parliament. The claim that the Gilbert Institute’s future use was just announced is false — this was publicly outlined by the Government in a ministerial statement by Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch on December 13, 2024, and reported widely in the media.
The OBA’s inability to keep up with developments that are shared in the legislature raises serious concerns about their credibility. If it cannot keep track of key announcements made in the House, how can it be trusted to govern?
Education reform is about building a stronger future for our children. The PLP has invested in modernising our schools, phasing out middle schools, expanding signature learning programmes to teach trades to our young people, and ensuring that school facilities continue to serve the community. This includes repurposing sites like the Gilbert Institute to meet critical needs, such as a seniors daycare facility or the Heron Bay site to support co-operative food enterprises, reducing costs for Bermudians.
Given that the OBA do not support the conversion of Gilbert into a seniors daycare facility, maybe the OBA can explain how it intends to ease the pressure on the “sandwich generation”. The PLP has heard Bermudians challenged with raising children while supporting their ageing parents and has a plan; the OBA has no plan and is content with sending false media statements that do not address the challenges Bermudians face.
— Dawn Simmons, party chairwoman
Diallo Rabain, a PLP candidate and the substantive Minister of Education who returned to the post today after medical leave, responded to Mr Smith’s comments this morning.
He said: “The PLP remains steadfast in our commitment to transforming Bermuda’s education system to give our students the best chance to succeed.
“We are delivering on the promise the people asked for — phasing out middle schools and creating signature schools that will provide education in skilled trades like construction and healthcare.”
Mr Rabain added that “ … Scott Pearman claims the PLP is making a policy decision during the election period that should not be allowed, while Ben Smith is calling for the PLP government to make a significant policy decision“.
He said: “Their argument is not only contradictory but highlights a clear pattern of inconsistency and political opportunism.
“That said, I am pleased to see the OBA finally engaging in discussions on education reform, even if it coincides with an election.
“For years, I have extended regular invitations to the OBA to sit with the Education Reform Unit for a complete presentation on the plans and progress of reform.
“Despite this, I welcome their new-found interest and am especially encouraged to hear their support for an education authority, which is a PLP policy.
“While others play politics, we remain focused on delivering real, meaningful change for Bermuda’s students, educators, and families.”
• UPDATE: this article has been updated with information provided by the public works minister in December, as well as a statement from the education minister
• To read the statements from Ben Smith and Scott Pearman in full, see Related Media
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