Plans are underway to change the names of three of the five Government Middle Schools.

The Department of Education has been in discussions with teachers and parents from Clearwater Middle School, Dellwood Middle School and Spice Valley Middle School over the last week to discuss the implementation and implications of changing the names of the schools.

It's been suggested that the school's names should reflect the names of past champions and heroes in the community.

Dellwood Middle School Principal Janette Musson said yesterday that it was "a little premature" to discuss any name change at this point as they were still "just discussing the possibility".

But a concerned parent of one Clearwater Middle School pupil said yesterday that he was "disgusted" that the Ministry would be concerning itself with a name change when there are so many other, more important issues in education.

He added that he felt it was wrong for the Ministry not to put the idea out to the public for discussion as members of the tax-paying community should also have a say.

Parents will be meeting with teachers to voice their concerns at 6 p.m. on Tuesday night at the school, he added.

"How can they propose doing this by September?" he asked.

His sentiment was echoed by the Shadow Minister of Education, Neville Darrell. Mr. Darrell said it would be a far better tribute to the public education system if the Department of Education first addressed some fundamental core challenges.

"We need to recognise that our current challenges are very complex and need to be courageously faced and remedied," Mr. Darrell said. "We must act to confront the need for the implementation of high quality, rigorous academic standards that reflect the levels of student achievement necessary for our students to succeed in society and the workplace."

The principals of Spice Valley Middle School and Clearwater Middle School could not be reached for comment.

Permanent Secretary of the Department of Education and Development Michelle Khaldun said last night: "We are in the very early stages of an important Government initiative which involves a process of consultation and will fully inform the public once all the key stakeholders have been properly briefed."