About 60 per cent of works required for full school readiness are either complete or in the process of being completed, but the rest are yet to be tackled, the Minister of Education told MPs today.

Diallo Rabain gave a statement in the House of Assembly, less than a week before public school students return to their classrooms.

He outlined what he described as an “extensive” summer works programme across 27 public schools, which included preparing buildings, addressing health and safety concerns, recruitment and required programmes and supports.

He added that schools were “fully staffed” for the opening of the academic year, though some overseas appointments were awaiting approvals.

Mr Rabain said that this year, every school would receive a written report outlining what had been completed, what remained outstanding and the plan to complete the work.

He said 610 maintenance, repair and improvement items had been identified and tracked through the Government’s school readiness dashboard.

As of Thursday, 148 jobs were complete and a further 212 were in progress leaving 250, or 40 per cent, of the overall 610 yet to be tackled.

Mr Rabain said the work ranged from major infrastructure projects to smaller repairs affecting the daily experience of students and staff.

It included roofing and water-intrusion repairs, electrical and plumbing works, air conditioning and ventilation, mould and environmental remediation.

Other works included painting, playground and outdoor safety improvements, windows and doors, fencing, classroom improvements, lighting and general building maintenance.

Of the works being tracked, 69 were designated health and safety priorities while 22 were complete and a further 32 were in progress.

About 78 per cent of the health and safety priorities have therefore either been completed or are being addressed.

Mr Rabain highlighted some specific projects including a newly repaved driveway at St David’s Primary School, significant water leaks addressed at Warwick and Southampton Preschools and mould remediation at Lagoon Park Preschool.

A missing fire door was replaced at Northlands Primary School, while leaks and mould were addressed at Paget Primary School.

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He also gave special mention to Elliot Primary School which had AC units installed last year that have not been operational as the electrical supply lacked capacity to support the additional load.

“I recognise how long the Elliot school community has waited and the frustration of having air-conditioning units in place that didn’t work because of the facility’s electrical capacity,” Mr Rabain said.

“The service upgrade and associated works have therefore been prioritised within the summer programme.

“Elliot illustrates why some challenges in our school estates cannot be solved through simple repairs. Ageing infrastructure sometimes requires significant upgrades before modern equipment can be properly supported.”

There are 47 health and safety priority items that remain open across the system, 32 of them are already in progress and are expected to be completed by the end of September.

The other 15 require further assessment, engineering solutions, specialist contractors, procurement or co-ordination with agencies and utility providers.

Mr Rabain said: “Some projects are significant infrastructure projects that cannot be completed within a single summer maintenance period. The opening of school, however, does not remove them from our priority list.”

He said substitute teacher coverage had been secured at West End, Paget Primary and for the Autism Spectrum Disorder programme at West Pembroke Primary School.

St George's Preparatory School has substitute coverage while recruitment continues for vacancy.

An ICT teacher has been secured for Francis Patton.

A limited number of positions still require substitute coverage, including specific needs in the ASD, French, music, English and mathematics, design and technology and foreign language.

“Some of these have arisen recently because identified substitutes withdrew or members of staff became unavailable due to illness or approved personal leave.”

At The Berkeley Institute and Sandys Secondary Middle School, recruited overseas teachers are awaiting confirmation of the necessary approvals and are prepared to travel once those approvals are confirmed.

The department continues to manage these remaining matters, he said.

“It is important to put these exceptions in context,” Mr Rabain added.

“Our schools are staffed and our educators are preparing to receive their students. Where individual vacancies or unexpected absences remain, the department is working to ensure appropriate coverage.

“We will continue to monitor staffing throughout the school year because like facilities readiness, it is an ongoing responsibility.”

Mr Rabain said that specialised student support had been expanded this year.

The public school system provides ASD, and Global Developmental Delay programmes within mainstream school environments.

Mr Rabain said: “For students enrolled in these programmes, they provide inclusive, individualised learning environments with targeted academic, communication, social-emotional and functional support, while maintaining purposeful connections with their mainstream peers.

“For the 2026-27 academic year, we have expanded this provision. Harrington Sound Primary School and Northlands Primary School have launched new ASD programme classes this year.

“They join existing primary school programmes at West Pembroke, Elliot and Paget, which each operate two classes, and West End Primary, which operates one.

“With Harrington Sound and Northlands, there are now nine primary ASD/GDD classes within the Bermuda public school system.

“Importantly, these programmes do not operate in isolation from the wider school.

“Where appropriate, students participate with their peers in mainstream classes, physical education, music and art, assemblies, school events, recess and lunch, clubs and other activities.”

• To read the minister’s statement in full, see Related Media