The Bermuda Union of Teachers (BUT) has decried the use of Terra Nova testing in the country’s schools as invalid.

In a press statement last night the BUT said the results for the test are not available until M3 students have already graduated to the senior school system. So if a student scores poorly, it’s too late.

“Therefore the method that is currently used in Bermuda renders the test results invalid,” the statement said.

There’s a further spat brewing between the Ministry of Education and its teachers’ union over parental involvement.

A Government spokesman revealed last night that parents will assist in the administration of the tests by serving as observers alongside teachers.

A similar strategy was started last year. The parents will receive training beforehand.

The Ministry said this kind of parental involvement “provides an opportunity for parents to play a more active role”. Meantime, the BUT is angered it was not consulted before the decision was made to include parents in this way.

BUT General Secretary Mike Charles said: “We have no objections, but to send a parent without letting the teachers know is not professional. They didn’t even inform the principals.

“Since there was no previous consultation with teachers on this matter it begs the question of the motivation for such action.”

The BUT has also criticised a decision by the Ministry to forego a pre-test. According to Mr. Charles, students in the United States are allowed what is called a locator test, but Bermudian students are not given that kind of preparation.

He indicates that’s an especially critical point because when the results are released students from the two countries are evaluated side by side.

“If in the final analysis the students must be compared with their counterparts the same procedures should exist,” the statement said.

The Terra Nova testing is an annual event and will be administered this year on May 8 through May 10. The exam quizzes students on mathematics and reading at levels P3 to S2.

A Ministry spokesperson said: “It provides one measure of how well the public school system is performing and allows comparison with student peer groups in North America.”