Bermuda's public education system must become all things to all children if students are to succeed in the classroom, Education Minister Paula Cox said yesterday.

As guest speaker at Hamilton Rotary Club's weekly lunch, Ms Cox said her department had realised that young people would not be successful with a one-size-fits-all system.

She said it had been accepted that students had varying abilities, but said the Ministry was aiming to give every child the opportunity to succeed, no matter what their strengths and weaknesses were.

Ms Cox spoke to members of the Rotary about the department's BEST initiative, which has been implemented to set new goals and targets for students, with the aim of making public education the number one choice on the Island.

The idea is that members of the community work with Bermuda Education Strategic Team (BEST) to make improvements to the education system that will enable students to reach their full potential.

"One of the aspects of BEST that I find most positive and exhilarating is that there is the explicit recognition that students' abilities and aptitudes vary significantly," said the Minister.

"A rigid adherence to a "one-size-fits-all school system fails our young people. That is why a core belief statement of the BEST plan is the statement that all children can learn. All of our students may not have equal talent, but they all must have an equal opportunity to develop their talent."

And the Minister said she believed that the public education system could alter lives.

"We can change lives with the right mix of chalk and challenge," added Ms Cox.

"We have to set the standards and let our children know that they have to rise to the occasion. It matters little whether our students are academically gifted, our students need learning support, our students are middling to average academically, or our students have disabilities.

"For every category of student, who is educable, there is some way that we can affirm their value as a person and showcase their abilities and assist them to achieve, by setting realistic goals. We have to create a way for them to do this."

Ms Cox said all students were unique and special individuals.

But she said the BEST plan recognised the varying talents of young people.

"Each of them is a divine original," said Ms Cox.

"As a community, we have to recognise this and act on it. As we educate our young people, we have to recognise their differences and realise that not every child learns the same way or learns at the same pace. It does not necessarily mean that one child is better or smarter than the other - they are just different."

The Minister said that BEST was conceived last summer during a three-day brainstorming exercise involving a number of education stakeholders.

The team agreed on a mission statement, objectives and then strategies to make sure that objectives were met.

Among the objectives is the aim that by June 2005 the average score for each year level tested will be at or above the US average, as measured by norm-based standardised tests.

And that by June 2007, 75 percent of students in their graduating year will pass internationally recognised certifications examinations in language arts and mathematics.

The Minister said that would be achieved through:

Marketing both the strategic plan and the public school system

Improved staff development and raising expectations

A greater range of programmes to challenge all students

Additional programmes for high achievers

Improved partnerships with business and community

Greater accountability at all levels

She added: "The notion of empowering our students through an enhanced education product is the premise. The plan is a promise to our students, their parents and to our young people seeking higher education.

"We promise to improve the quality of education and to raise our expectations and to leave no student behind. In return, we ask our young people to use their skills and knowledge to contribute to our economy, to rebuild our education system and make it the first choice."