Almost half-a-million dollars will go towards the introduction of a new pupil grading system, the finance minister announced yesterday.

Curtis Dickinson said that $473,000 would be used “to continue the implementation of a standards-based grading system covering site-based professional development training” for primary and middle schoolteachers.

The announcement came as Mr Dickinson delivered the 2019-20 Budget Statement in the House of Assembly.

He added that $539,000 would be set aside “to address the urgent need” to increase bandwidth at primary and middle schools.

Mr Dickinson broke down Ministry of Education spending by school level.

He said that $327,000 would be used at the preschool level to implement an autism spectrum disorder programme and to hire an early childhood quality assurance officer to “provide professional training and coaching for preschool teachers”.

He said that the cash would also allow foreign languages to be introduced and parental education programmes to be continued.

Mr Dickinson said $770,000 would be spent at the primary level to fund the deployment of the Steam — science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics — programme.

The cash will be used to cover teacher training, updates to social studies curriculum and to expand the literacy programme.

At the senior level, $129,500 will be put towards the implementation of the City and Guilds programme in English and the mathematics programme “will be further progressed”.

Mr Dickinson added: “A vital job-shadowing programme will be introduced to create a unique experience for students as part of the Career Pathway programme.”

A total of $136.9 million was pledged to the Ministry of Education.

Mr Dickinson said that about $2.8 million would “support the execution of Plan 2022, the blueprint for education for the next few years, and the introduction of a merit-based College Promise programme for public school graduates to attend Bermuda College”.

He added Plan 2022 “articulates a clear mission to provide all students with equitable access to holistic, varied and high-quality instruction that is culturally relevant and empowers students to reach their full potential”.

Mr Dickinson said about $2.2 million of the $2.8 million for the plan was found after a “microscopic review of its existing budget for greater efficiencies in operational activity”.

The budget for school maintenance in 2019-20 will be $3 million — the same as this year.