Teachers will be forced to learn a fresh curriculum over the summer months as a new programme for public school will be implemented in September.

The Cambridge International curriculum, was due to be announced to the public yesterday.

However the press conference, to be held by Education Minister El James, was cancelled at the last minute.

The Royal Gazette understands the press conference was cancelled because teachers protested the September implementation at a meeting on Wednesday night.

Bermuda Union of Teachers general secretary Mike Charles said the teachers don't have a problem with the new curriculum, but with the date it will begin.

"The teachers don't have much of a problem with that and the selection. We have been saying for a long time that the curriculum needs to be sorted out.

"What caused the problem was the date of the implementation."

Education chairman Mark Byrne was not available for comment and the Ministry of Education did not have a new date for the press conference at press time.

Mr. James was also unavailable for comment.

Shadow Education Minister Grant Gibbons said the UBP supports the new programme but not its timing.

"As you will probably be aware, we have been urging the adoption of a new curriculum, preferably an international-based [one], after the Hopkins Report was issued.

"I think from our perspective, there are only three months left to go before the new school year begins. That's not a lot of time for principals and teachers to be familiar with the curriculum to teach it," he said.

Mr. Gibbons said he hopes something can be worked out so that another year doesn't go by without reforms being made.

Mr. Charles added: "You have a new curriculum and teachers haven't seen it yet.

"School's out in June and the board is insisting that it be released in September. We want to be effective in doing it. That is why we have a problem."

The secretary said last night the teachers expressed their concerns at Wednesday's meeting, held at Berkeley Institute.

"Right now no one knows what is happening. We also want to be effective and do a good job," he added.

"If you try to compare the two there are differences. There are gaps in our curriculum that need to be filled when you compare the two and all of that has to be done."

Asked about the outcome of the meeting, Mr. Charles said: "It seems that as of last night, he [Mr. Byrne] was insistent that it is going to be done in September."