A draft Bill paving the way for the creation of an education authority is completed and ready for consultation MPs heard yesterday.

Dennis Lister III, the Junior Minister of Justice, detailed the budget for the Ministry of Education and said this mandate required “transparency and a strategic roll-out plan”.

Mr Lister added: “In spite of past delays in addressing potential legal considerations, I am pleased to advise that a draft Bill, after several rounds of deliberation to establish an education authority, has been achieved.”

He said the ministry would meet unions, school boards, PTA executives, Department of Education staff, teachers, principals and others to discuss the development of an education authority.

Mr Lister said the feedback would inform a refined version of the Bill.

There was no mention of the authority being independent, which Ben Smith, the Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister of Education, has said was essential to take the politics out of education.

Controversial education reforms, included a $8.4 million contract with overseas consultants Innovation Unit, now named Third Story, which has now ended.

Reforms were put on hold by the education minister, Crystal Caesar, and further schools closures paused.

Mr Lister referred to “transformation” rather than education reform.

He told MPs: “Effective transformation is not about a single moment in time but a commitment to continuous improvement cycles and focusing on variables that have the most impact on student outcomes.”

Education has been budgeted $156.5 million for 2026-27 — a 5 per cent increase.

The ministry headquarters, responsible for strategic leadership and policy direction, received about $6.97 million, $547,125 less than in 2025-26.

Mr Lister said the Education Reform Unit, charged with co-designing education reform with consultants, had been renamed the Project Office — with its budget cut by $1.28 million to $2.64 million with the overseas consultants’ contract now over.

He said the Project Office’s role had been “tightened to focus on teaching, learning and student outcomes” in collaboration with schools and the Department of Education to “ensure alignment and cohesion of the critical transformative work under development”.

Mr Lister said transformation of the Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy represented a “significant milestone” for special education.

He said a “structured, evidence-informed and research-based process” was under way to develop a specialised school model for students with intellectual disabilities and complex developmental issues.

MPs heard that 3,737 students are enrolled in Bermuda’s public school system.

Department of Education priorities include strengthening literacy, numeracy, science and digital literacy skills, as well as monitoring curriculums, enhancing instruction and assessment practices and improving social and emotional wellbeing.

It was revealed this week that Bermuda’s public schools are achieving well below international averages in Cambridge Checkpoint and IGCSE exams.

Mr Lister said the department was “increasing academic rigour and student engagement through diverse and differentiated curriculum”.

Budgeting for substitute teachers was increased by $1.27 million to $5.74 million — up 29 per cent on last year.

Student Services, which includes specialised and intervention services for those with disabilities and developmental delays, was allocated $21.67 million, down $42,000.

The Ministry allocated $455,000 for Government scholarships, a sharp increase from $315,000 from the previous fiscal year, while the $700,000 allocated for the Further Education Awards is unchanged.

Mr Lister said this increase was consistent with the rising costs of higher education outside Bermuda.

The Bermuda College was given a $15.57 million Operating Grant, unchanged from the previous fiscal year.

While the number of school psychologists and counsellors is expected to remain the same, the former category has been budgeted $1.33 million, a $40,000 increase, while $3.43 million was allocated for counsellors, $231,000 more than 2025-26.

Responding to questions from Mr Smith, Mr Lister said there were about 623 pupils for every school psychologist, compared with 96 students for every counsellor.

He explained: “Counsellors assist students with academic and career readiness, so they have a different role than school psychologists.”

However, the paraprofessional unit, which provides in-classroom support, including for children with learning challenges, had its budget cut by $475,000 to $6.85 million, while the autism unit was down $185,000 to $741,000, despite reports of increased cases.

Autism experts have weighed in on service gaps for assessments and diagnoses as families face delays for crucial services and interventions.

The Government recently told The Royal Gazette that two psychologists were being funded for the Child Development Programme to address delays.

Mr Lister said the autism programme’s “core functions” were to place eligible students into the appropriate autism spectrum diagnosis classroom, or the least restrictive environment, while ensuring system-wide support for students with ASD across primary, middle, senior and special school settings.

He said that 2025-26 came with a noticeable increase in students on the spectrum being integrated into general education classrooms “with or without additional support”.

He said it reflected improved readiness and collaboration between autism programme staff and school teams.

Mr Lister added that a priority for 2026-27 was to add an extra autism classroom to accommodate the rise in students needing specialised support.