teachers' performance in a bid to keep up standards, it was revealed yesterday.

The news came after Senate President Alf Oughton -- who led a major probe into the health care system in Bermuda -- welcomed a new body to licence and review medical-related professionals.

Minister of Education and Government Senate Leader Milton Scott told Senators that he would be bringing a similar bill covering teachers to Parliament.

And he added that the impetus for the change came "not from Government, but from teachers themselves''.

Welcoming the Act, Sen. Oughton said: "I suppose anybody could hang up a shingle and say `I'm a so-and-so' and charge an exorbitant price.'' He was speaking as Senate passed the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act.

The Act will set up a single body to issue licences and review them every two years, taking over a role currently filled by the Health Minister.

Unsuccessful applicants have the right of appeal to Cabinet -- but will still be able to go to Supreme Court if that is unsuccessful.

And Sen. Walwyn Hughes said: "Hopefully the Council will not just rubber-stamp these every two years, but make sure people do keep abreast of the latest information.'' Senate Government leader Milton Scott -- also Minister of Education -- added: "What stands out in this piece of legislation is that need for ongoing and continuing education.'' Senators also backed an Act aimed at ending discrimination against children born out of wedlock.

The new law allows a child born out of wedlock to get Bermudian status if it has a Bermudian mother and the child is born in Bermuda, if it has a mother whose home is Bermuda and the child is a Commonwealth citizen at birth, if it has a Bermudian father and the parents later marry -- provided the child is a Commonwealth citizen, it will be either Bermudian, or deemed to be so, when the parents marry.

Under current law, if a child born out of wedlock to a Bermudian parent is not already Bermudian from birth, it can never have status.

Opposition Senate leader Max Burgess, however, said the position of a non-Bermudian parent who wanted to take an active part in the upbringing of a child should be looked at.'' EDUCATION ED