Legislation for the creation of an independent education authority is being drafted, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice told the Senate today.

Kim Wilkerson said there were “certainly some policy reconsiderations” to determine how the body would function.

She was responding to questions on education reform, including a proposed timeline for the introduction of the authority and whether it would function independently.

Last year, Diallo Rabain, the former Minister of Education, told the House of Assembly that legal challenges impeded its creation.

In November 2022, Mr Rabain said that an Education Authority Working Group set up in 2021 had yet to determine how the board of an authority would be selected, but that governance should be “supportive and enabling, not directing and controlling”.

Ms Wilkerson answered questions on behalf of Crystal Caesar, the Minister of Education, who was absent in the Upper House.

She said the Education Reform Unit was functioning with nine staff members.

On the status of the ministry’s signature learning programmes, Ms Wilkerson said between CedarBridge Academy and The Berkeley Institute, four signature programmes were being administered across 19 subject streams by 44 qualified teachers.

She said all curricula for Years 10 to 13 were complete and would get regular reviews.

Sandys Secondary Middle School has administered introductory signature learning in education service, tourism services and hospitality, with two qualified teachers delivering the programme.

She said 21 signature partners had signed memorandums of understanding with the Department of Education, while another six were pending.

Questioned by Victoria Cunningham, the Opposition Senate Leader, on the preparedness of public schools for the start of term on September 9, she said one school had reported classrooms were not ready while another seven said more work was needed.

She said 21 of 29 public schools reported classrooms as either satisfactory, more than satisfactory or excellent — while 19 schools gave the same rating to workspaces other than classrooms.

The remaining ten schools indicated more work was needed as of September 9.

Ms Wilkerson added: “Only four schools reported dissatisfaction with facilities and maintenance-related works done over the summer.

“In some cases, issues have emerged due to the heavy rains recently experienced.

“There remain some concerns and we are working closely with our partners at Public Works and the Department of Education’s Facilities Section to address them.”

Ms Wilkerson said the ministry’s facilities division reported that maintenance of fire alarms, fire extinguishers and water fountains as well as water tank chlorination was carried out for all school sites.

She said, based on reports, from ten schools, that a total of 13 staff had been absent on September 9 — four for illness, with the remaining nine including personal leave, taking a child overseas to school and other regulatory factors such as awaiting work permits, contracts and Bermuda Education Certificate licences.

Ms Wilkerson said two schools reported challenges of not having paraeducators available on the first day of school.

One school reported that five vacancies were filled by substitute teachers as well as through internal coverage.