A tough talking critique of Bermuda's public schools system which calls for the dismantling and rebuilding of the "mismanaged" Ministry of Education was hailed as a welcome wake up call by teachers last night.

But Bermuda Union of Teachers president Lisa Trott warned Government against allowing the damning document — compiled by an expert team led by British professor David Hopkins — to slide into obscurity without enacting any of its ten recommendations.

Opposition Leader Michael Dunkley, meanwhile, called for Education Minister Randy Horton to resign in light of the findings.

Mr. Horton said in a television and radio broadcast yesterday evening that Government planned to study the recommendations and "examine their feasibility" before prioritising their implementation.

Ms Trott said: "That's always a concern. This is not the first review of education. In fact, we have had a number of reviews.

"It always seems that at the end of the day, no matter what the review says or the recommendations, the Government still makes a decision as to what is 'feasible'.

"We are a little bit concerned about that. We feel like this was a wake up call and if we are not going to heed the wake up call then what's the point of it? Our only hope is... that we actually take these things to heart and make the changes."

Ms Trott said the union was pleased with what Professor Hopkins and his team — commissioned in February by Mr. Horton to carry out the comprehensive review — had to say, even though there was criticism of teaching standards.

"Teachers did not come out unscathed and we do recognise that there is room for improvement with teachers throughout the system" she said.

Union general secretary Mike Charles agreed. He said the report contained no surprises and confirmed what teachers had been saying for years.

"We will do everything we can to improve," he added. "It's not that teachers are not working, it's just that they need some direction."

Mr. Charles said earlier this week the union hoped the inquiry would acknowledge problems at the Ministry of Education.

The report goes further than that, containing a scathing review of the way it operates and calling for heads to roll at the top.

"It is a poorly led and mismatched organisation, lacking in strategic vision and the skills to realise it," says the document. "The Ministry exercises much control but little leadership — it is secretive and operates through direction.

"Schools are overly regimented by the Ministry of Education on which they are dependent for information, guidance and support. Senior staff have not acted to identify and improve those schools which, on the evidence of the review, are failing to provide consistently satisfactory education for their students.

"The Ministry stifles initiatives suggested by schools and its own education officers and is on balance a barrier to educational progress."

Ms Trott said: "For a long time now we have said that they have consistently increased the number of people in that Ministry and we have not seen any improvement."

Mr. Dunkley described the review as "a total condemnation of the PLP Government's management of public education" but said it was not strong enough.

"To call for the "re-professionalization" of the ministry and teachers, as Dr. Hopkins does, does not go far enough. The Brown Government must take responsibility. We therefore call for the resignation of Mr. Horton, in order to establish the principal of accountability going forward."

He added: "It is our view that the PLP Government does not have the credibility, the ministerial skills or the collective will to carry out meaningful and effective reform of our education system, particularly on the scale proposed in tonight's address.

"The report brings to a head the question of confidence about the Government's competence that all Bermudians must weigh in the days ahead.

"There can be no further excuses and no further dodging of responsibility on this vital issue. There must be accountability."

Mr. Dunkley claimed the PLP Government had presided over a catastrophic decline in the quality of public school education. The report cites the introduction of middle schools — implemented by the United Bermuda Party when in power — as a key mistake, partly to blame for today's problems.

A teacher at one of the two senior schools - who asked not to be named - said the report encapsulated teachers' concern and anger about the system. "I'm absolutely happy with what it contains," said the teacher.

Alan Leigh, from the Association of School Principals, said the organisation would wait to comment until today after headteachers meet with the review team.