Students who spoke to yesterday said they support the industrial action taken by public school teachers, but are worried about having to attend classes this summer to make up for lost time.

Students at the Berkeley Institute also expressed fears over exam dates and whether they would be able to complete them on time.

One 16-year-old Berkeley student told that Berkeley teachers have warned students they can expect to take exams in Mathematics and English, but whether or not they will take exams in the other subjects remains uncertain.

?We?ve been told we?re not having all the tests at the end of the year. Some teachers have said they are not sure if they can give exams,? she said. ?None of us understand what?s really going on. If we don?t have all the exams that will mean we will have to come in for summer school to make up for all of that.?

?We were supposed to have an advisory, but we don?t have that anymore. Teachers have told us they?re not babysitters.?

Bermuda Union of Teachers general secretary Michael Charles said yesterday it was unlikely teachers would abandon their regular exam schedule. ?I?m sure teachers are responsible enough to make sure everything gets done in the students best interest,? he said.

But another 18-year-old student said teachers have told graduates their exams may be extended into mid-June.

?It will upset my schedule and it will mean students have to cover more material in the classroom,? she said, explaining that graduates were making plans to starting working in the summer to fund the start of their college education.

?In addition to this extra time from the work-to-rule they haven?t added on the extra days from the hurricane or from the last strike.?

Although students were free to enjoy the day as they pleased due to yesterday?s sick-out, she said teachers were keeping up with the curriculum and even squeezing in extra material. ?They?re going slow with other things but not in the classroom,? she said.

While teachers had not warned of a sick-out, she said they had explained the work-to-rule action to Berkeley students.

?They told us they would not be doing custodial duties because teachers were expected to work beyond their job description but were not paid for it.?

She said Berkeley students felt the Government should pay teachers more in order to make the profession more attractive. ?They are always helping the students,? she said. ?They don?t take a break.?

Other students said they had gone to school as usual yesterday morning.

Two middle school students said they were hoping teachers would go back to work so they could get the exams done and enjoy the summer break as usual.