The One Bermuda Alliance has submitted proposed amendments to legislation intended to lay the groundwork for the creation of an Education Authority.

Ben Smith, the Opposition leader, said that the intention of the proposals was to create practical safeguards to help guarantee better results.

He added that the OBA had requested a meeting with Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, to discuss the proposed changes and identify areas where agreements can be reached before the House of Assembly sits on November 20.

Mr Smith said: “The delay secured by the OBA has created an opportunity to strengthen this legislation. The Government should use that opportunity to work with us.

“Our children’s education must be bigger than politics. We should be working towards legislation that can earn unanimous support and provide a strong foundation for generations to come.

“Passing the Bill is not the measure of success. Improving our children’s education is.”

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OBA Education Authority Amendments (1).pdf

Debate on the Education Authority Bill 2026 began on Friday, with Mr Rabain stating that the goal was to create an education system that does not depend on a minister to run it.

He said the establishment of the authority would come in phases with oversight from a transition committee.

The OBA said that while the party supported the creation of an Education Authority, the body needed greater independence than was proposed.

Shortly after the House went into committee to discuss the clauses of the legislation, the OBA was able to pass a motion to rise and report progress, halting the debate until November 20.

In a document released to the media today, the OBA highlighted a series of proposed amendments for the legislation, including a requirement for the authority to make generic educational results public.

Other changes would restrict the scope of directions given by the education minister and have the initial board be selected by an independent committee rather than the minister.

The OBA amendments also aimed to clarify criminal offences included in the legislation and preserve disclosures made under lawful complaints, protected-reporting arrangements and oversight processes.

The authority would also be tasked with making sure that all schools have their own independent school board “so far as possible” and providing support to families whose children require additional educational help.

Mr Smith said: “The Department of Education already has many responsibilities and powers to improve student outcomes.

“Dedicated educators work hard every day, yet significant challenges remain.

“We need to understand why the system has struggled to deliver consistent improvement and ensure the new authority addresses those problems.

“Simply changing the structure will not guarantee better results.

“The OBA supports a genuinely independent Education Authority.

“Our amendments seek to establish clear expectations and safeguards in law while giving education professionals the freedom to determine how best to improve our schools.”