Education Minister Elvin James says Government's five-year plan to improve public schools will be finalised by March next year.

Stakeholders have been told to make their recommendations on the way forward by the end of December as the document begins to take shape, Mr. James told the House of Assembly yesterday.

Once completed it will be made available to the public, before becoming fully operational by September 1 next year.

"This strategic plan is more than a piece of paper to be filed," Mr. James said in a Ministerial Statement.

"This strategic plan represents a contract — a solemn agreement amongst all of our stakeholders to raise our educational standards and our educational outcomes to the level necessary for our students to be competitive in today's world.

"The importance of buy-in from our stakeholders, both external and internal, cannot be overemphasised."

In October, the Minister announced the Board of Education was working on a five-year plan to improve standards.

Yesterday, he said he was still unable to give specifics of the plan until stakeholders had made their contribution, but he described its vision as: "To deliver a world class education system that meets global standards, and ensures that students reach their full potential."

He said the plan is being put together with input from "the best and brightest local minds" and overseas consultants.

Offering a flavour of what will be included in the plan, he said: "Our curriculum offerings will be rigorous and robust.

"All too often we have heard complaints that the public school curriculum is not competitive. We have adopted the Cambridge International Examinations for this very reason — to remove the basis for complaints.

"We have to ensure that our students meet standards, not just any standards, but those high standards which will make our students competitive with their peers from any part of the world."