Pupils from Northlands Primary School have been given a taste of Spanish thanks to a unique partnership between the Department of Education and a global bank.

Education chiefs in Bermuda teamed up with Lombard Odier to allow the school to offer Spanish classes this academic year.

The scheme came about after Charmaine Tucker, president and CEO of Lombard Odier, contacted the former education officer for foreign languages, Lydia Perinchief, to indicate the company’s interest in helping to reintroduce foreign languages into primary schools.

Northlands had a Spanish after-school club and the school principal, Charles Joynes, decided to continue the language learning more formally.

“For an international group such as Lombard Odier, language skills are key,” said Mrs Tucker. “Just like many of our employees, our students will be interacting in the future with others around the world on a daily basis and doing business locally with those whose native language is not English.

“It is important that our children begin learning languages at an early age in order to be equipped to enter the workforce in International companies in Bermuda and abroad.”

Teacher Ron Lightbourne has taught the students at Northlands basic greetings, simple vocabulary and expressions to help them start learning to communicate in Spanish.

Wayne Scott, the Minister of Education, said: “Thanks to our international business partners, Lombard Odier Bermuda, we are very pleased to be able to offer the Spanish language course at Northlands. The Ministry sincerely appreciates the generosity of Lombard Odier for offering assistance to our schools.

“We welcome the help from our local business partners and we are open to more opportunities like this in the future.”