Government's funding for education this year brought an unusual unity between Opposition and Government members.

Education Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira, Shadow Education Minister Ms Jennifer Smith, and Bermuda Union of Teachers organiser Mr. Milton Scott all said they were pleased to see funding for honoraria and sabbaticals restored.

Government pledged to spend $284,000 on honoraria and sabbaticals for teachers and for after-school activities.

Two years ago, Government cut funding for overseas workshops, conferences for teachers, extracurrila activities, and sabbaticals as a part of a $2.2 million slash in the Education Ministry's budget.

This was partially restored in last year's budget.

Mr. Scott said this year's funding would bring the number of sabbaticals -- which were cut two years ago -- to their full status. While Mr. Scott said he had to study the Budget further, he said it appeared that the amount of money allocated allowed for two more sabbaticals and honoraria for the entire year.

Ms Smith said "after a few years of calling for full honoraria and sabbaticals'', she was pleased to see the funding return.

"It is extremely important that we allow our teachers time off and away from the classroom to get refreshed,'' she said, "particularly in the current teaching environment where they do not feel that they are safe and they do not have proper support. Their energies are being drained.'' Although some may claim that teachers have enough time off, Ms Smith said teachers deserve that time and usually spend it taking part in other extra- curricula activities.

She also noted that sabbaticals benefit both teachers and students.

"They are extremely important. If we could only stop looking at it as some kind of plum, but a vital part of teachers' employment.'' This year, Government also set aside $263,000 to pay for six additional teachers' assistants and a therapist required to provide support and help for those students with special needs who are being integrated into the mainstream school system.

An additional $500,000 was also allocated for courses designed to prepare principals and teachers for the restructured system and to retrain them for changes in the curriculum, including middle school education.

And Dr. Terceira said: "I was particularly pleased that the Finance Minister had half a million for the programme I submitted.

"I have about 60 teachers I want to send to conventions and train for middle school.'' However, he said: "Buildings and renovations to buildings are fine, but all that does not matter unless we have dedicated, good teachers.'' Dr. Terceira stressed that Bermuda's teachers were "an incredible group''.

"But we're looking to improve them all the time,'' he added. "They also want to improve themselves.'' Ms Smith agreed and she said she welcomed the funding for assistant teachers.

But she pointed out that the Education Planning Team and many others, including herself, had been calling for that for years.

She noted that in 1987 the EPT recommended assistant teachers for all Primary One and Two classes.

Education boost welcomed From Page 1 have and mainstreaming, they will understand the need for teacher assistants.'' Ms Smith said she hoped that funding for six teacher assistants was just the beginning.

And while she welcomed funding for a therapist and courses to help teachers deal with special students, she said Government should have had therapists and trained teachers in place before mainstreaming began.

"A lot of difficulties experienced initially by parents and teachers of these students could have been avoided,'' she added.

There was still a need, she said, to know the needs of the students since each would require a different support system.

Ms Smith said she was saving her remarks and questions on other aspects of the education budget for the Opposition's response to the Budget next Wednesday.

With plans to spend in excess of $100 million on restructuring over the next few years, Government allocated some $22 million for work on the senior secondary school at Prospect, and another $4 million for middle schools.

Some $1.1 million was allocated to Warwick Academy which will go fully private in September. Dr. Terceira explained that the funding was mainly for staff salaries for the rest of the term. "All of that will cease in September,'' he added.

Bermuda College will receive an operating grant of $9 million to help with the completion of construction at the Stonington campus.