Public schools receive the majority of the Ministry of Education budget $88.5 million, or 74 percent of the funds allocated, goes directly to their operation.

Education Minister El James said the schools' budget was decreased by $2.6 million for 2010/11 with the cut almost entirely accounted for by a reduction in staff. Mr. James assured the House the cuts will not affect the "delivery of services to students in this essential area of schooling".

The Minister said the money is divided between ten preschools, 18 primary schools, one special school, five middle schools and two senior schools.

He said the schools are attended by 5,700 students, and employ more than 900 staff.

Salaries represent $68 million 77 percent of the schools' budget. Primary schools received $33.5 million, the bulk of the budget. Three thousand students are enrolled in classes.

The Island's two senior schools, CedarBridge Academy and the Berkeley Institute, received $29.2 million an increase of $614,000 or four percent. "Increases were attributed mainly to an increase in operating grants of $200,00 to the Berkeley Institute and $300,000 to CedarBridge Academy," Mr. James said. "Government pays the salaries of teachers, counsellors and paraprofessionals. The schools, through their grants, pay the costs of security, custodians, office and IT staff. The two senior schools support an estimated 1,300 students and over 200 staff."

Middle schools account for $19.4 million of the budget, a decrease of $1 million from last year.

Mr. James said there are more than 1,000 students in the middle schools and 184 staff.

Funding, both direct and indirect, is included for the five schools as well as Whitney Institute Middle School and Sandys Secondary Middle School, both aided institutions. Preschools were given $5.5 million, an increase of $276,000 from last year. The sum enables the education of 350 children between the ages of four and five, and employs more than 50 staff.

The Minister said: "Preschoolers enjoy programmes suited to their cognitive, social, emotional and physical needs. In order to maximise the benefit of this programme, the Government ensured some eight years ago that the public preschool education is delivered by fully qualified teachers. You may not find that anywhere else in Bermuda."

Dame Marjorie Bean Hope Academy received $766,000 for the year, a decrease from last year due to a reduction in operating expenses and staff associated costs, Mr. James said.