Education Minister Randy Horton defended his Ministry yesterday from accusations of inertia and lack of communication. Responding to comments by Opposition Leader Kim Swan in the House of Assembly, Mr. Horton said: "I want to make it abundantly clear to the people of this country that education is a genuine priority for this Government.

"Certainly the reason why we have gone about attempting to improve our system is because of the fact that we recognise the importance of education and of our people being successful in this country."

In the UBP's Reply to the Throne Speech yesterday, Mr. Swan said "we need action". He also accused Government of "no substantive communication" on public school reforms as recommended by the Hopkins Report.

But Mr. Horton said: "I'm here to say that contrary to what has been said by the Honourable Leader of the Opposition, there has been much work that has been done."

He added: "Many things are continuing to happen in the Ministry. I can give you an example — there was a recommendation to dramatically improve the quality of teaching.

"Seventeen teachers are being trained, who will then train others and collaborate with principals across schools, sharing knowledge. "I want this country to know that we realise how important education is. If we don't get education right it will be much more challenging for too many of our people in the future. I think we are on the right track."

Mr. Horton also denied he was "anti-union".

"I want the country to know this Minister is not anti-union — for the BPSU to say that on television (General Secretary Ed Ball on Thursday), that could not be further from the truth," he said. "This Ministry will work with all the unions as we continue to move forward and bring about change.

"I know very well the importance of every single person who is involved in the system, our teachers, principals, the businesses we are sending our children to, and the parents themselves. I certainly recognise that collaborating with these groups is important as to how we continue to move forward. There are some people who are going to be upset because change is a very difficult thing.

"But if you don't make waves you will drown, as (business writer) David Anderson said. So it's very important to make some waves, and waves are being made in our country, and they are being made in order that we stay afloat and are not drowning.

"The PLP Government has its eye on the education ball."

But Shadow Minister Grant Gibbons said: "For some it's a matter of making waves, for others it's a matter of thrashing about. We need to swim in a positive direction and to make sure that the boat is going forward."

Dr. Gibbons said he believed education was "the most important portfolio" in the House of Assembly. Describing it as essential to Bermuda's success and to a better quality of life for its people, he said: "It is precisely with education where empowerment begins".

The Shadow Minister then criticised the Minister for lack of communication and transparency, saying that Mike Charles, General Secretary of the Bermuda Union of Teachers, had felt compelled to write three letters to Mr. Horton "to insist that his union and teachers were included in the reform process".

Commenting on Mr. Horton's announcement yesterday that public schools will start publishing their results next year, Dr. Gibbons then said: "I think the communication yesterday was really the first substantial comments we've had about the state of reform."

He also criticised Government in its dealings with the Press, saying: "I believe there are three PR people but there seems to be an inverse correlation between the number of PR people and the amount of information that comes out.

"We've had the Big Conversation, but all we've had from the Ministry of Education is the Big Silence, although it is getting better.

"There is some effort to communicate with the teachers now as well, so it's a start.

"My colleague Kim Swan has said we don't just need commitment, we need action so I'm pleased there has been some reform in the Ministry."

Dr. Gibbons then called for more Government funding of preschool places.

"I would recommend that not only do they look at the childcare aspect of it, but look to expanding the whole issue of preschool because it has a lot of benefit to children, particularly those coming from dysfunctional families. It puts them in a lot better shape for when they get to school."

He also recommended Government should keep the Terra Nova test results, as they represented "a different type of growth in a school year", giving parents a better watershed of how their children are performing compared with other countries.

Commenting on the publication of the school results, Dr. Gibbons said: "I think it's important not only that the criteria testing be released to the public as quickly as possible, but Terra Nova results as well, so we all know where we stand, and in terms of the US as well."

He added: "I would also recommend to the Minister that he considers an independent Standards Testing Board."

Dr. Gibbons then said that the past summer's proposed Joint Selection Committee had "disappeared like dew on a hot morning".

"The Government did not rush to put the Committee into place before the House went down. Was it simply lip service?," he asked.

"I'd like to know whether Government's intentions were good or whether it was just political meanderings."

But Mr. Horton replied: "We had intentions."