Parents of students attending primary schools that are due to close in June have been given the option to register their children at any existing or future parish primary school with available spaces.

Crystal Caesar, who took over from Diallo Rabain as Minister of Education this week, said during a meeting on Tuesday night at Gilbert Institute that all decisions around school closures under the Government’s education reform plans were “final”.

Gilbert Institute and Prospect Primary School are scheduled to close their doors in June.

Parents have protested against the decision, and said they had limited options for where to send their children after closure.

However, the ministry insisted spaces are available.

In response to the announcement, some parents told The Royal Gazette they do not feel comfortable sending their children to a school that is about to be transformed to a new model and that education reform should be paused.

Sources at the meeting said the ministry communicated that the closure of Northlands Primary School will be delayed to accommodate any transitioning students.

According to an announcement in April 2023, Northlands was to begin to phase out, with no new intakes, starting in September.

During the meeting, Ms Caesar shared “detailed” transition plans for students attending Gilbert Institute.

Information will also be made available for students of Prospect Primary.

A spokeswoman for the ministry said the department “provided the option for parents to register at any school designated to be a parish primary school providing there is space. [It has also] increased available spaces in specific year levels”.

Protesters gathered on and before the day of the General Election, expressing concerns that proper transition plans were not in place.

Ms Caesar said at the meeting that she and her team will offer “clarity and support throughout this process”.

“The department will arrange follow-up meetings before the end of the school term as an additional opportunity to engage, and provide further information and updates,” she added.

"The ministry's open-door policy will continue to welcome your feedback."

One Gilbert Institute parent who responded to the news said: “My biggest takeaway was, these schools are to go through a 2½-year transition. Why move the children when you have not done the transition?

“Look at Purvis [Primary School] how many are left? You are moving the kids before the work has been done.”

The Royal Gazette reported in December that there were only five students enrolled in Year 8 at Purvis, one of the island’s first two parish primary schools, after parents decided to transfer them elsewhere.

The parent added: “Teachers were not ready to teach the curriculum.

“Other parents at Gilbert want them in West Pembroke but there’s no room. Everyone is saying, I guess I have to send them to Northlands — the overflow school.”

Another parent at Gilbert Institute said while the Government appeared to now be listening to feedback and concerns, not enough information was being provided on standards at the available schools.

The parent said: “I toured some of the schools and could see big differences between them.

“With the closing of the schools we want plans in place to fix those that are staying open.

“We have not received a plan to address those concerns. I don’t know if they even have a plan in place.

“I have not seen the plan in terms of deficits in schools from a curriculum or resources perspective.

“They have tried to do right by as many people as they can but there is a lack of communication and transparency.”

A third parent of Gilbert Institute said the right thing to do is to put a pause on education reform.

The parent said: “Set up the parish schools and then move the children. Why disperse them all over the island when you are not ready to support them?

“The Department of Education has listened to us as of this week. Had this been done in November, people would have been happier.

“At the end of the day I do think they should pause. I don’t think education reform is being handled properly.”

Ben Smith, the shadow education minister, said earlier that education reform should be paused to allow for an audit to be conducted.

Just before the General Election, David Burt said that the Progressive Labour Party would consider delaying plans.

The Premier said at a press conference then: “This PLP Government … will always make the decisions that are in the best interests of the children and if that means that we might have to delay a few things to get it right, we are not afraid to do so.”

The parent questioned what the point of a pause is if there was going to be the same outcome.

They added: “He only said that to make us feel better before an election. Yes, there is more choice but there was no conversation on closures.”

The ministry spokeswoman said that attendees received information on decision-making, student placement plans and resources available to support families.

She said: “Parents were highly engaged in the meeting, raising many important questions addressed by department and ministry representatives.”

Department staff said that as of February 25, 43 out of 45 parents of Gilbert Institute had placements confirmed for September.

The spokeswoman added: “Acceptance letters will be sent during the first week of March allowing parents to review and consider additional options, should they wish.

“The department will contact the remaining two parents to confirm their children’s placements this week.

“To further ensure a smooth transition, two dedicated teams at Gilbert Institute — the Department of Education's School Closure Committee and the School-Based Transition Team — will oversee the closure process by providing parents and students opportunities to engage in activities to provide smooth integration at their new school of choice.

“This model will also be replicated for the Prospect Primary School.”