This is an open letter on the Education Authority Act sent to Bermuda’s Members of Parliament

To our Members of Parliament,

We, the undersigned, believe Bermuda has an important opportunity to reform the governance of public education.

For many years, concerns have been raised about bureaucracy, political interference, accountability and whether schools receive the professional support they need. There is broad agreement that change is necessary. Replacing the Department of Education with a new legal entity will not, by itself, solve these problems.

The test should be simple: will the new system create a more capable centre supporting more empowered schools?

We therefore urge Parliament to examine the Education Authority Bill 2026 against three questions:

Is the proposed authority sufficiently independent to provide stable, professional leadership?

Will schools and their communities be given meaningful authority and accountability?

Will the new structure provide the specialist expertise and support that teachers and students actually need?

The Minister of Education and the Premier must answer for the Government's record. But Parliament now has responsibility for what comes next. If MPs pass an Education Authority Bill that fails to establish clear and effective accountability, responsibility will extend beyond the Government that designed it to the Parliament that approved it.

Think about the future generation of Bermudians whose future may be profoundly affected by whether the adults responsible for the education system act effectively when a school is failing.

Unless the legislation provides clear answers, we risk changing the structure without changing the accountability.

This is Parliament's opportunity to amend the Education Authority Bill to create a system that puts students first and ensures a professional and independent body to provide excellent support and oversight and empowered schools which are accountable to the communities they serve.

A more capable centre. More empowered schools. Clearer accountability.

That should be the goal of education governance reform in Bermuda.

Signed,

Judith Alexander, former BPSS principal

Becky Ausenda, founder, Bermuda Education Network

Idonia Beckles, former BPSS principal

Rebecca Brady, former Editor, RG Magazine

Hayley Burchall, former deputy president, West Pembroke PTA

Florence Carneiro, educator and former BPSS parent

Cindy Corday, cofounder, BCCL

Toni Daniels JP

Deshae DeShields, former PTA president, Elliot Primary

Omar Dill, chairman of the Free Democratic Movement

Gayle Gorman, independent director and school consultant

Rene Hill, BPSS grandparent

Ellen-Kate Horton, former Permanent Secretary of Education

Anne Hyde, former executive director, KBB

Debra James, former PTA president, Harrington Sound

Fiona Roberts Rodriguez, founder, KAF

Kristen Scott-Ndaiye, education community member

Dejon Simmons, BPSS parent

Branwen Smith-King, educator