Bermuda Union of Teachers president Michael Charles last night said he feared the primary school system was in danger of becoming "stressed out" over the rate of changes being introduced by Government.

He spoke out after Education Minister Senator Milton Scott announced yesterday that a new primary school curriculum had been handed to all principals on the Island, with a pilot scheme already underway.

Mr. Charles said even though the curriculum may be a good thing for the Island in the long-term, he feared teachers were being given too much to cope with at once.

He said: "In the last three years there seems to have been one change after another, and my worry is that teachers are having to spend more and more time on getting acquainted with the changes. There are just too many things happening at once.

"I'm wondering if this is the proper time to introduce a new curriculum and start piloting it, because teachers are already complaining they are stressed."

He said a new literacy programme was introduced three years ago, followed by a new maths programme last year.

He added: "This year they have scrapped the old literacy programme and have brought in yet another one, and then this year they are also piloting a new planning and preparation programme for teachers.

"Teachers are telling me that the planning and preparation pilot is taking them about five hours of their own time at weekends because it is extremely detailed.

"I know they are not going to introduce this curriculum until next year, but the teachers who are doing this piloting have to know their stuff."

Mr. Charles said he planned to talk to principals and staff about the issue, and would, in fact, be surveying all schools in the next couple of days about the use of teachers' time.

He added: "I have not seen the new curriculum, so I don't know if it is good or not, but I feel now is not the right time. We could stress out the system, both teachers and students, because we are doing too many things at once."

Sen. Scott has asked teachers to give him feedback on the curriculum, which is the first system-wide lesson and subject planner the primary schools have ever had in Bermuda.

Some schools have volunteered to take part in the pilot this year to see how the new curriculum works and where problems need ironing out.

They will work with education officers over the coming months to allow the Education Ministry to develop an appropriate model for the Island-wide implementation in 2002.

The curriculum explains the philosophy behind each subject, as well as the goals and the performance indicators for teachers and pupils to work to.

Sen. Milton Scott said he looked forward to hearing what each of the schools had to say.

"We are proud of the draft curriculum documents," he added.

"Teachers, education officers and others in the schools system and in the community have worked hard to produce them, drawing from their collective experience.

"We realise, however, that no amount of expertise in our writing groups can be the same as the experience of teachers using it in the classroom.

"That is why we have decided to pilot it for one year and ask teachers to use it and let us know what works and what doesn't work so well.

"We will take these comments on board and introduce the final curriculum in September 2002."

The second section of the curriculum provides the programme of instruction for mathematics, science, social studies, health education, physical education, information technology, music and visual arts.

Information technology is also integrated into all subject areas.

Standards for English language arts are being provided separately through the literacy initiative, which was launched in primary schools at the start of term.

Finally, a section on resources directs teachers to valuable sources of support.

Nobody was available at the ministry last night to comment on the fears of Mr. Charles, and Sen. Scott was off the Island.