The chairman of Bermuda Educational Parents' Association has welcomed plans to buy in a curriculum from abroad for Bermuda's public schools — but questioned why it took so long to reach the decision.

Myron Piper told The Royal Gazette: "I support an international curriculum. However, after several years of spinning our wheels, we find ourselves back to ground zero."

He said that two years had been wasted since the damning Hopkins report on public schools, with US consultant Henry Johnson "come and gone" since then and little sign of educational reform.

He said the recent scrapping of the interim executive board for education and the appointment of a new permanent Board of Education, with businessman Mark Byrne as chairman, suggested it was back to square one.

"Over the past two years we have constantly been told it takes three years to see results any time you implement changes in education," said Mr. Piper.

"Yet we have a chairman selected for one year. One year short of seeing the results of the changes brought about by previous Minister Randy Horton and Dr. Henry Johnson, we have a new regime and a fresh clock, bringing to an abrupt halt the progress we have all so ardently been waiting for.

"Do we wait another three years for results or can we expect a more dramatic turnaround? Can we expect another change of guard in two years, absolving the present administration of their pronouncements?"

Mr. Byrne and his board have made finding a new curriculum from overseas their first priority.

But Mr. Piper said he worried whether the Flagstone Re chairman would have the time to commit to overhauling schools.

"While I support Mr. Byrne's initiative, I am apprehensive about his ability to lend himself to the time and commitment needed to get things done, considering he has a full-time job elsewhere.

"I would wonder about his capacity to get in among the weeds and strip away the undergrowth."

The BEPA founder said more heads should have rolled at the Ministry of Education after the criticism in the Hopkins report. "Many of the same players criticised in the Hopkins report remain firmly planted in the present Ministry," he said.

He echoed comments made this week by former chief education officer Joseph Christopher, who claimed the new Board of Education lacked parental representation.

"Talk of collaboration and meetings with stakeholders seems disingenuous to me when the most important group is conspicuously omitted: the parents," said Mr. Piper.

"One of the [curriculum] models we are considering is the Canadian model, which has a very strong parent base, particularly in Ontario. "There is a very strong parents' association, which not only sits on the Board of Education but directs much of the focus of the board.

"There is legislation protecting the rights of parents and children, the real stakeholders. Under our new administration there is neither any mention of representation for parents, nor any appointments to the board."

Education Minister El James said this week he backed Mr. Byrne and had every confidence in the new board, which he insisted did represent parents.