Children with learning difficulties are not receiving the support they need to succeed in education, it has been claimed.

Mair Harris, Chairman of Learning Disabilities Association of Bermuda/Bermuda Overcoming Learning Disabilities/Difficulties (BOLD), told The Royal Gazette : "The Education Act in Bermuda is not strong enough. There are not enough resources, no screening programme and so students with disabilities suffer.'' She was speaking as BOLD announced that teachers who had made an outstanding contribution to the education of a child with learning difficulties this year would be honoured.

Nominations are now being accepted for the Educator of the Year 2000 and the winner will attend a Learning Disabilities of America (LDA) conference in New York early next year.

Ms Harris said she hoped the programme would expose a Bermuda teacher to all realms of learning disabilities and enable them to come back and make presentations on what they had learnt.

Last year's winner, Tiannia Lowe, described her trip to Reno, Nevada, as a "wonderful opportunity'' and added that she had received subsequent invitations to discuss the subject.

She said: "The information I gained at the conference has proved invaluable in my role as a teacher and a clearer understanding of the learning disabled student.'' One of the workshops she went to while at the conference, which was also attended by teachers, parents and doctors from across the US, used role play scenarios to put participants in the shoes of children with learning disabilities.

Ms Harris stressed that work needed to be done in Bermuda to prevent children with learning disabilities from falling through the cracks.

She described the level of support for students with problems in local schools as being poor to non-existent in both public and private schools.

She said a lawyer with contacts at the LDA had come to the Island, through sponsorship from XL Insurance, to work on drawing up new legislation proposals to better accommodate students in Bermuda with learning disabilities who were not catered for under current Government education programmes and initiatives.

Ms Lowe praised Ms Harris's efforts. "I give credit to Mair for pushing the programme. She founded BOLD in Bermuda and has done an excellent job on educating people in Bermuda about learning disabilities.'' She added that schools should be compelled to make provisions for students with disabilities by identifying those in need and placing them in appropriate programmes.

Members of the public are strongly encouraged to nominate teachers who they feel meet the criteria for the award. Nominations are to be received by May 31.

Bright yellow nomination boxes and nomination forms will soon be placed in schools, banks, supermarkets and paediatricians offices.

Nominations can be made by parents, students, principals and other professionals by completing the forms and dropping them in the box.

Nominees for the award must be a full time classroom teacher who has made an outstanding contribution to the education of a child who has difficulties in learning.

The winner will receive round trip airfare, registration and hotel accommodation to the LDA conference in New York in February, 2001.

Partner-Re Limited is sponsoring the trip to the conference.