Shadow Education Minister Tim Smith has backed teachers' calls for a substantial pay rise to prevent educators leaving the profession.

As The Royal Gazette reported on Saturday, the Bermuda Union of Teachers believes the hefty, unspecified, pay increase is essential to keep teachers from leaving the classroom to take on better paid jobs.

BUT general secretary Michael Charles said the union had pressed Government for the pay increase during the current round of wage negotiations.

Mr. Smith last night backed the union's call and said there should be a review of pay scales for teachers to reduce the 25 different grades to around 12.

He said the United Bermuda Party would also support tying in pay increases to improved performance in the classroom.

"Few factors affect student performance more than the quality of their teachers,'' he said. "If the profession wishes to attract and retain quality teachers, an appreciable increase in teacher pay appears to be one viable option.

"We in the UBP believe a comprehensive review and re-write of Bermuda's out-of-date compensation structure is necessary as it remains unrelated to what teachers do in the classroom.

"We believe linking pay rises of teachers to how much progress their pupils make is fundamental. Further, there are some 25 pay brackets for teachers and head teachers.

"This should probably be reduced by 50 percent and new incentives be introduced that are linked to school-wide improvements."

Mr. Charles said Bermuda has not yet experienced the problem of some Caribbean islands, where teachers are leaving for better paid jobs in the United States.

In Bermuda, teachers are leaving the classroom for bigger salaries in international business on the Island.