The Hopkins recommendations report card: Education Minister El James and Board of Education chairman Mark Byrne on how we are doing

• One: dramatically improve quality of teaching

El James: "We have made tremendous strides. As Hopkins stated, there are some weak points in teaching. If you get that many teachers in a system you are going to have some weak ones. There has been professional development using the Lead and Learn organisation. And we are now having the Educators' Council certifying teachers. We want to make sure that what happens in classrooms is a lot more effective."

Mark Byrne: "I think there has been a considerable amount of effort expended in this direction. Frankly, I don't think you ever get to tick that off. You probably have to work on that continually forever."

l Two: move quickly to improve the quality of leadership by principals

EJ: "Hopkins stated that there are some weaknesses in leadership within the schools. Leadership at the principal level, leadership at the teacher level, leadership at the Ministry level and the Department level. Principals are observing lessons in classrooms now. This is all to improve the learning and teaching that is going on there."

MB: "I have met a few of the principals and I have found them to be dedicated professionals. The point is, we need a supervisory layer [above them]. The notion is three or four assistant director positions."

l Three: Radically reform the Ministry of Education

EJ: "What we are looking to do right now is to separate the Ministry from the Department of Education.

The Department will be the Commissioner of Education's responsibility. Under the Department will come all the directors and assistant directors and education officers. The Ministry will be finance, human resources, the Minister and the permanent secretary."

MB: "I think the Ministry has been reconfigured... and made more about policymaking and evaluation than execution of policy. The Department of Education probably also needs a look and that's the right role for the Commissioner of Education. I think we are within six weeks of announcing who that will be."

l Four: Strengthen the strategic management of the education system

EJ: "We have identified two directors and we are right now looking for a Commissioner [of Education] to head the Department of Education. Hopefully, it will be a Bermudian."

l Five: Introduce delegation and transparent accountability at all levels

EJ: "Everyone is going to be accountable, not just the teachers, but the principals, the officers, everyone, even the Minister. If the Minister is not performing, then you may read the next day that there has been a change. From the very top, right on down, there is an accountability element for everyone."

l Six: Federate secondary and tertiary education and raise the school leaving age

MB: "I think 'federate the system' is code for end the aided schools and make everybody operate on the same footing. We have had some discussion at the board but not a great lengthy one. I don't know where we are going to come out on that but personally I think forcing a change on the governance model of a school that's succeeding is more combative than I wish to be.

Raising the school leaving age is in the [new Education] Act but I don't have enough confidence today that the product is right. When the product is right, I do think it would be better."

l Seven: Respond to concerns about inclusion and behaviour

EJ: "If the last hour of the day at school were devoted to enrichment studies, a child could then do art if they loved art or singing if they loved singing. What this does, it will improve one's ego, one's thought about self. It will, I think, eliminate some of the negative behaviour that we have in the community. If you feel good about yourself, others will notice it. The behaviour changes automatically. That's the plan right now, to not eliminate any of the academics but somehow to inject the opportunity for individuals to really mature in whatever gift or talent they might have."

l Eight: Create self-governing federations around clusters of primary schools and each middle school

MB said a cluster system of some sort was likely to implemented, but the exact model had yet to be identified.

l Nine: Align the curriculum vertically and horizontally

EJ explained that the curriculum is actually to be replaced after an audit revealed its flaws and that choosing a new one from overseas was the first task of the new Board of Education. "We have a committee right now looking at various curriculums around the world to see what's contained in the most successful of them."

l Ten: Harness the power of parents, business and the community in the reform effort

MB: "I think that's what this board is doing. I think it's an excellent cross-section of the community. There is a lot of experience in the room."