A conference of educators from all over the Caribbean will hear today a claim that Bermuda Union of Teachers (BUT) has been left out of the reform of the Island's public schools despite asking to be included.

The allegation is made in a report which the BUT will present to the Caribbean Union of Teachers' executive meeting at the Fairmont Southampton.

The report explains that a review of the Island's public schools was conducted by UK professor David Hopkins and his team of experts earlier this year due to poor graduation results.

The BUT will tell the meeting that the resulting report "made a number of damning and sweeping statements about teaching standards and the general state of public education. In particular, some teachers were labelled as inadequate".

The BUT report goes on to explain that an interim executive board was set up to oversee change, with six committees established.

It says: "To date, the BUT has not been formally invited to participate in the reform process even after having submitted three letters to the Minister of Education from our general secretary Michael Charles insisting that we be a part of the way forward."

New BUT president Keisha Douglas told The Royal Gazette that Government's failure to invite the BUT to formally sit on the committees was viewed as a snub and remained a "burning issue".

"We have teachers on the individual boards but they are on those boards because of their own merit," she said. "The union as a body was never asked to be on the board."

Union representatives will meet with interim board chairman Philip Butterfield on December 11, when Ms Douglas said she hoped the matter would be resolved.

Both Mr. Butterfield and Education Minister Randy Horton have previously denied teachers are being excluded from plans for change.

The Caribbean Union of Teachers' executive meeting is taking place over the next two days — the first time it has been held here since 1997.

Mr. Charles said: "This is a big one. One of the problems is the cost of travelling to get here so we are really excited because we have delegates from almost every English-speaking Caribbean island.

"We thought it would be too difficult but it is happening. There will be about 50 delegates from overseas and representatives from the BUT."