The UBP yesterday unveiled their goals for education, saying Government had failed to make the grade.

Financial aid to parents to put their children through preschool, a technical education curriculum which starts in middle school, and an independent standards board are among the pledges if the Party gains power after December 18.

Shadow Education Minister Grant Gibbons said the PLP had failed to make progress in nine years and with six different Ministers. He accused Government of releasing graduation figures which "don't add up" and said it was "all talk, no action".

Dr. Gibbons said: "I'm standing here today because I'm angry. Did you see this yesterday? The PLP called it a progress report on education. I call it the Lack of Progress Report on Education. There's no substance here.

"I'm angry on behalf of our children and their parents, who are not getting the attention they deserve from this Government when it comes to education reform. Last May, Dr. Brown told us the education system was in crisis. They said there was a need for an urgent fix. But you wouldn't know it from the way they've been acting.

"Randy Horton (Education Minister) promised there would be changes in place by the start of the school year in September. But nothing happened. All talk, no action.

"Mr. Horton said they would update us with regular press conferences. Aside from introducing their half-million-dollar foreign consultant, there's been precious little communication.

"They blamed the teachers, principals, and Ministry staff for the crisis — everyone but themselves. But even worse, they're not including the teachers or the principals in the reform process. They've been cut out. And I think that after nine years and six different Ministers, the PLP Government deserves the blame for dropping the ball."

Dr. Gibbons added: "And look at what they've done with the Interim Board. If you recall, the Hopkins Report said cronyism, nepotism and secrecy, especially in the Ministry, were creating major problems in the education system.

"Yet that's exactly how the Interim Board is operating — it's chaired by the Premier's brother, it's operating in secret, it's not speaking with teachers or principals and it's certainly not talking with the public.

"How can you reform public education when you don't include the people who are working in the system, the people who really matter? Two days ago, Randy Horton made an election promise to implement a technical middle school programme and to consider a technical institute. Well, here we go again — more promises.

"A year ago at a forum on technical training, Randy Horton said he was not happy with technical education and would bring significant changes in 2007. But nothing happened in 2007, and now he's making more promises for 2008. All talk, no action."

Dr. Gibbons said: "I'm committed to education reform on behalf of every parent so that the dreams they have for their kids have a chance of coming true.

"I'm committed to Bermuda — because this Island has no future unless we start educating a generation of children to world-class standards and we do it now.

"Education is where empowerment really begins. There are many opportunities out there — but our children won't be able to take advantage of them unless they're educated properly.

"Our United Bermuda Party education plan starts at the very beginning and continues straight through Bermuda College. Our plan begins before kids reach primary school — because evidence is clear that preschools make a huge difference in how many children perform later on.

"The UBP plan will enhance the Government preschool system and provide financial aid to those parents who need it to give their kids a headstart and make sure they're not already behind when they start primary school.

"But I want to focus today on just three more things. We need to dramatically improve the quality of teaching, and we will work with the BUT, teachers and principals to do this.

"You can't have world-class results unless you have world-class teaching, and that's proven by countries that do this well. They put a lot of support and training every year into their teachers and principals. That includes training on how to maintain discipline.

"Next, we're passionate about a fully-integrated technical education curriculum that starts in middle school and goes all the way through Bermuda College. Students must be ready for the workforce with technical skills when they graduate.

"Under the PLP Government, technical education has practically come to a standstill. But that can't continue. More than half the workforce is involved in the trades, and unless we train our kids, we'll continue to bring in non-Bermudians to fill those jobs.

"That's exactly what's happened under the PLP — we now have the highest percentage ever of non-Bermudians in the workforce."

Dr. Gibbons said that Government figures released in June revealed that in 2006, non-Bermudians accounted for: 63 percent of 765 masons on the Island; 80 percent of 900 chefs; 40 percent of 390 carpenters; and 30 percent of 186 plumbers.

"These are positions that Bermudians could easily fill but the education system is not doing an adequate job of providing Bermudians with the skills they need when they graduate to move into these positions.

"In the past nine years under the Government, the proportion of non-Bermudians in the workforce has gone from 24 percent to 32 percent.

"There are consequences on both sides. If our education system is not producing skilled Bermudians to take these positions, we have to go outside to take on non-Bermudians."

At yesterday's press conference, Dr. Gibbons said: "We will also create an independent standards board — separate from the Ministry — because parents should get an unbiased assessment of the performance of students and the performance of schools, and the board will publish their results. There will be no more graduation numbers that don't add up.

"Although the broad ideas are simple, education reform is complex, and so far the PLP Government has not demonstrated they can make it happen — all they've done is spend lots of money on expensive consultants and reports, and have committees that meet in secret.

"Our children can't wait until they sort it out. They've had nine years and six Ministers — that's a whole generation of schoolchildren who've been let down — and it's clearly a mess.

"The difference between the UBP and the PLP on education is that we will actually deliver."

If the PLP return to power, the Party has pledged to reduce primary school class sizes and educate parents on the importance of supporting their children through the school years with 'School Support Rules'.

Government says its funding for scholarships reached a record $2 million last year and that it is "investing in providing tertiary education for qualifying students, including academically gifted scholars".

The PLP is to release its election Platform on Tuesday at Christ Church, Warwick.