The Educational Centre for problem students is to close, with its teachers moved out into schools instead, Education Minister Dame Jennifer Smith announced yesterday.The move is part of cost-cutting measures within the Ministry, which saw its budget slashed by ten percent, or $14.9 million, for the next fiscal year.In addition, Ministry offices will move from Hamilton to St David’s, there will be a review of paraprofessionals, special education and supply teachers to ensure resources are being used effectively, and school principals will be given greater autonomy.“The Education Centre [commonly known as TEC] will be re-evaluated with a view to offering students the same services in a more constructive manner,” Dame Jennifer told the House of Assembly.“Currently, we have ten teachers plus other staff, serving a total of seven students. Not the most economical use of people. It is our intention, at the end of this school year, to close this facility and relocate the staff on site in our schools.”Dame Jennifer said the Ministry could still achieve its goals if it found ways to save money and passed them on to schools.“Bermuda spends more per capita on education than many of the best performing countries in the world, without achieving anything close to comparable results; approximately $17,120 per public school student this fiscal year, down 2.6 percent from last year,” she said.“There are too many examples of students in low-income communities making dramatic academic gains for us to believe that success is not possible in spite of the economic realities. Clearly, we can do much more with our education dollars.”She plans to cut costs by relocating the Department and Ministry of Education from various sites scattered around central Hamilton to one headquarters in Southside, St David’s.However, the Student Services section, which provides learning support, educational psychology and counselling will be moved out into the schools it serves.“Certainly, consultation will take place before the plan is implemented,” she promised.Dame Jennifer also pledged increased controls and accountability for expenditure on office supplies, travel, consultants, contracts, grants, professional development and training. All such spending will have to be given the green light in future by the Permanent Secretary.“It is no secret that controls were loose in some cases and non-existent in others,” she admitted.The change only applies to the Ministry and Department, as she does not wish principals to encounter greater bureaucracy.Meanwhile, the 132 paraprofessionals who support children in the classroom will be reviewed, as they cost a significant amount.“We will continue to ensure that students who need support, get it,” said Dame Jennifer.Special needs education, which ranges from instructional support to overseas placements, will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis in consultation with stakeholders.And, she said, the role, definition and placement of substitute teachers will also be analysed to ensure they are “appropriately utilised.”Meanwhile, the Minister said the relationship with school principals will change.“Principals are the key to success in our schools and it is the Ministry’s plan to give principals the autonomy to manage their schools and make key decisions,” she explained.“We plan to achieve this through the establishment of agreed performance targets. No longer will the Department, or the Ministry, direct principals; instead, they will be free to innovate and encourage teachers and students within a framework of agreed performance targets.”Last month, Dame Jennifer announced a re-organisation that took the day-to-day responsibility for running the operations of the Department away from Education Commissioner Wendy McDonnell and handed them to Permanent Secretary Kevin Monkman.This allowed the Commissioner to focus on strategic planning.Dame Jennifer said the re-organisation was done because Ms McDonnell was “bogged down with the day-to-day tasks of running a complex public education system” and the move has “already had a significant impact on our ability to focus on where we want to be as opposed to sorting out the problems of where we are.”l More reports, Page 6