A primary school embroiled in a dispute with the Minister of Education has been closed for the day because of staff shortages.

The Royal Gazette contacted the Ministry of Education and was told: “The Ministry of Education has closed Port Royal Primary School today due to insufficient staff.

“Parents have been notified and students were dismissed for the day.

“The department will provide updates to parents and key stakeholders as they become available.”

The family of a youngster attending the school told the Gazette that they took their child to school this morning only to be told that there were not enough teachers at work. The pupil was then turned away.

It is unclear whether the closure is related to the dispute involving a teacher who was put on administrative leave last month after Crystal Caesar, the education minister, intervened in a disciplinary matter that had resulted in a student not being allowed to compete in a sporting event.

A petition was launched by “concerned parents” demanding the reinstatement of the teacher by last Friday.

A source familiar with the matter told the Gazette previously that Ms Caesar, who was contacted by the student’s parents, responded by ordering staff at the Department of Education to allow the student to take part.

The Gazette was told that a group of teachers upheld the school’s decision to allow the student to compete. One of the teachers was then placed on administrative leave,

The Bermuda Union of Teachers issued a statement this month expressing “serious concerns” about the conduct of Ms Caesar and sought clarity over the reason the teacher was placed on administrative leave.

The union referenced the Bermuda Public School Student Code of Conduct which it said set out a clear chain of command in student disciplinary matters which, if not followed, raised questions under the ministerial code. The code warns against conflicts when ministers intervene in constituent matters.

The Change.org petition, which has garnered 628 signatures, said: “We demand the immediate reinstatement of their PE/health teacher by Friday, May 15, 2026, and an assurance that such interference will not recur.

“Failure to meet these requirements will result in further action.”

The Primary School Athletics Championships took place at the Flora Duffy Stadium across two days.

On April 27, it is understood that an impromptu meeting was held at the stadium between PE teachers and education department officials over the matter resulting in a 15-minute delay to the start of the event.

A source said that the minister directed department personnel to intervene to make sure the boy could compete, but teachers “took a stand”, warning that if the pupil was able to join the contest, the meeting would be “shut down”.

It was also claimed by the source that teachers were taking “systematic days off” and are considering industrial action in support of their colleague.