Opposition criticism of the island’s budgeting for public schools and cuts to paraprofessional resources failed to acknowledge the complexity of addressing the issue, the Ministry of Education said.

The comments came after remarks by Ben Smith, the Leader of the Opposition, on the 6 per cent cut in allocation for paraprofessionals in the 2026-27 Budget, a drop of $475,000.

Mr Smith’s comments came in the wake of a Bermuda Union of Teachers statement that educators were contending with increasing numbers of students presenting with mental health challenges.

The ministry responded: “The range of academic, social and behavioural needs present in our classrooms has grown, and educators are often required to respond to situations that extend well beyond traditional teaching.”

A spokeswoman said of Mr Smith’s comments on paraprofessionals and resource allocation: “During the Budget debate, it was outlined that paraeducators are engaged on an as-needed basis.

“Where a student is assessed and determined to require that level of support, a paraeducator is assigned accordingly.

“Budget line items alone do not fully capture how resources are deployed in practice, nor do they reflect how support is delivered on the ground.”

She said a “robust” assessment system went into supporting students in need of extra services, and that early identification and intervention were a priority.

The spokeswoman added: “It is inconsistent to call for more assessments and interventions while criticising the resources required to make them possible.

“There are also broader factors that must be considered.

“There is an emerging trend of increased reliance on formal assessments to determine a diagnosis which, while important, must be balanced with strong proactive classroom practices, including effective management, positive student-teacher relationships, differentiated instruction and ongoing monitoring.”

The ministry acknowledged that “many” students arrived at school ill-equipped to “fully engage in learning”.

“Schools and teachers are managing these realities daily,” the spokeswoman added.

“Based on these observations and the strong correlation between home-school partnerships that ensure student success, the ministry will strengthen resources and programmes for parents and caregivers across all school levels that are supportive and empowering.”

She said schools’ “disciplinary or guidance measures” needed parental and community support.

“This is a complex issue that requires a co-ordinated approach, ensuring timely assessments, appropriate allocation of support staff, strengthened classroom practices and broader support for the role of schools.”

The spokeswoman added: “The ministry remains focused on advancing that balanced approach so that both students and educators are supported.”