Independent Senator Walwyn Hughes has questioned why it's taken so long to put "absolute basic" principles in place for a good education system.

Good teaching in the classroom and a solid curriculum are among the new goals identified by Professor David Hopkins which the Ministry of Education is now implementing.

During the Senate's budget debate on education and Bermuda College on Wednesday, Sen. Hughes asked why governments over the past decade and more had not attempted to address such issues earlier.

"These are the sort of things we could have and should have done, not just this Government, the past one," said the Senator.

"Getting a curriculum from overseas ... good teaching ... the five principles ... they are absolute basic things. They are all things any good education system ought to have.

"It's so slow getting things done, it's frustrating, because time is long and children are getting disadvantaged in the long-run.

"I hope we are getting that done now. The signs are that we are. I'm supportive of anything that can improve public education."

Sen. Hughes added that money could not be used as an excuse for the failures in education, given the wealth of the Island. He said Bermuda also had a high number of scholarships for students.

Earlier in the debate Progressive Labour Party Senator Walton Brown had listed the five principles being adopted over the next five years following Professor Hopkins' damning 2007 report.

Junior Education Minister Sen. Brown said these were:

l strengthen leadership at all levels of the system;

l clarify what we want children to learn;

l improve quality of learning and teaching in the classroom;

l greater accountability and transparency to identify non-performing schools;

l encourage contributions from parents and the community.

Sen. Brown said: "Steps must be taken to ensure every student in the public education system performs well and that those failing are both identified and reported."

He said Bermuda College had enjoyed a 20 percent increase in enrolment this spring, and a 26 percent increase last fall, after the "gift of free education from Bermuda Government".

United Bermuda Party Senator Jeanne Atherden asked for an update on plans to turn Bermuda College into a university and suggested twinning the college with an overseas institution.

She also said efforts needed to be made to encourage more men into teaching careers, noting that 82 percent of Bermuda's 894 teachers are women.

Opposition Senate Leader Michael Dunkley said: "I never cease to be amazed at how far we've let some of our standards slip."

Dairy owner Sen. Dunkley said he has a "simple application form" for potential employees in his business but that, year after year, the quality of language and applications seems to drop.

"It's sad, we're just leaving these people behind," he said. "So we know where their challenges come from and why they've got a poor work ethic and presentation, because we've allowed our standards to slip.

"Finally I think everyone has got away from that political football, kicking education back and forth and saying: 'It's your fault,' and now it's about getting results.

"As Senator Hughes says, money has had nothing to do with the success or failure we've had in the Ministry of Education. We've had money in the Ministry, the second largest funding from the Bermuda Government at $128 million."

Sen. Dunkley added: "We've been blessed in Bermuda for so long but unless we educate our people we're not going to be blessed anymore. We need to make sure our children are educated.

"I look forward in the coming years to hearing about the improvements in the classrooms. I don't want to talk about the past anymore, but would rather focus on the results."

Sen. Brown, responding to some questions posed in the Senate, said: "Professional development will continue to be provided for both teachers and principals."

He added that the issue of cluster boards is under discussion.

He said Bermuda College was "currently looking at" the issue of four-year degree qualifications/accreditation programmes, possibly with an overseas university, "so there can be the appropriate transfer of standards and degrees granted".

Sen. Brown added: "There is an initiative in place to provide opportunity for gifted students. There is a recognition that more needs to be done in that regard."