A contingency plan has been initiated at Sandys Secondary Middle School after its teaching staff did not turn up to work for two days running.

Crystal Caesar, the Acting Minister of Education, confirmed that “some teachers reported to work” this morning and that the matter will proceed to a tribunal.

The school was closed on Monday and Tuesday of this week owing to “an unscheduled teacher sick-out”, the Ministry of Education said.

The ministry added that, along with the school’s Board of Governors, it has engaged directly with the Bermuda Union of Teachers to address underlying issues that prompted the sick-out.

The matter was earlier escalated to the Ministry of Labour for mediation and — as of yesterday — will proceed to a tribunal.

Ms Caesar said: “Yesterday, the principal received notice of teachers opting not to attend work and took the necessary action to close the school for the day.

“The principal promptly communicated this decision to parents via the Schoology platform, accessible to all.

“This morning, some teachers have reported to work.

“To mitigate the lack of teaching staff and ensure learning and instruction are in place, the Department of Education has established a contingency plan to support SSMS with the support of the Department of Education officers and certified teachers.

“The classes have resumed.”

She added: “The wellbeing of our students and staff remains our top priority, and we are fully committed to rebuilding the trust of our school community.

“We sincerely appreciate the patience and understanding of parents and students during this time and will keep all stakeholders informed as new developments arise.”