Former Education Minister Neletha Butterfield is the chair of Bermuda's new committee reviewing the recommendations of the damning Hopkins Report.

The group — Parliament's first ever joint select committee on education — met at the House of Assembly yesterday.

It contains three Progressive Labour Party and two United Bermuda Party MPs and a Senator from each political party in a bipartisan approach aimed at helping take Professor David Hopkins' ideas on board.

Ms Butterfield is joined by former Health Minister Michael Scott, former teacher Lovitta Foggo, Senator Walton Brown of the PLP; Shadow Education Minister Grant Gibbons, Jon Brunson and Senator Charlie Swan of the UBP.

A Government press release says the public will be kept informed of the committee's deliberations and recommendations over the coming months.

Education Minister Randolph Horton first tabled a motion to set up the committee in June 2007, but it has taken a year to reach this stage due to the summer recess, general election and budget.