A new organisation set up to represent parents seeking an improved public education system has issued its first statement — criticising the overseas consultant brought in by Government to implement change.

Bermuda Educational Parents' Association (BEPA) says its motto is "Save Our Kids" and its objective to hold the Ministry of Education and relevant unions accountable for standards within schools.

BEPA's chairman and founder Myron Piper, in a comment piece published on page four of today's The Royal Gazette, claims that "the Bermuda public is sitting quietly by demanding nothing" of Henry Johnson, consultant executive officer for education.

Dr. Johnson, who was brought here from the US by the Ministry of Education last year to implement recommendations made in the damning Hopkins report on public schools, said he welcomed BEPA's involvement.

"I'm always happy to see people enthused about improving education," he said. "Constructive management is always helpful."

Mr. Piper writes that some immediate improvements should — and could — have been made last September but that officials are still dragging their heels.

He questions why Dr. Johnson has brought in highly paid overseas experts to review the curriculum and is also critical of the Bermuda Union of Teachers (BUT), asking whether it has "addressed the delivery of the curriculum by its members".

Property developer Mr. Piper, said he was in the process of setting up a BEPA board to advocate on students' behalf for a better education, writes that recent public reassurances from Dr. Johnson that things are improving are not enough.

"Parents should not be contented with these reassurances while another year has been lost; another generation of our children's hopes has been dashed," he writes.

"We need to demand performance from the consultants we hire. They get paid more money coming to Bermuda than they would ever receive elsewhere."

Mr. Piper criticises the Ministry for failing to communicate with the public, unions and teachers and include them in the plans for an improved education system.

He calls for an assessment of the way recommendations in the Hopkins report are being put in place, suggesting bringing British professor David Hopkins back to the Island to conduct it.

Dr. Johnson said: "In terms of the focus on curriculum, it's the basis for everything else we do in education, so it has to be strong, rigorous and helpful to students.

"In addition to working on curriculum, we're also working on improving assessments, making the results of those public and implementing an accountable system for students, teachers and principals, and others in the education system.

"The final thing is we are in the process of planning a professional development programme for principals regarding instructional leadership, and for teachers regarding delivering a high quality lesson.

"We're in contact with vendors who are making proposals for delivering the professional development."

BUT general secretary Mike Charles said comments about the union in Mr. Piper's comment piece suggested he misunderstood the function of the union.

"We don't run the Ministry; we don't run schools," he said. "We represent our teachers. We look after our members and the conditions of work. As far as what they do in schools, that's for principals to do. We don't assess our members."

Mr. Charles said the union was the driving force behind an initiative to ensure teachers are certified and spent the majority of its budget on professional development of members. "That is something we are very proud of," he added. "This is something which we have always been at the forefront of."

• Contact BEPA by emailing mapiper@logic.bm or calling Mr. Piper on 535-4864.

Opinion article (Page 4)