Parents and teachers are resolutely against the closure of any schools, a public forum heard last night.

Wayne Scott, the Minister of Education, also faced scepticism over school restructuring, with many citing the island’s difficulties with adopting the “mega school” model, as well as the introduction of middle schools.

Strong support was voiced for Heron Bay Primary School, one of four primary institutions with a potential for closure according to the School Reorganisation or Score report. That report, which examined the quality of primary schools, also proposed cost savings and efficiency measures, including possible closures.

However, Mr Scott stressed: “I don’t believe in making changes for the sole purpose of saving a couple of dollars.”

Last night’s meeting at the Sandys Secondary Middle School was the first of three for the community to discuss the report’s findings and implications, and air their concerns to Mr Scott. About 130 people, divided into discussion groups, urged for an equal quality of education across all schools so that parents would not seek out “better” institutions to send their children.

Mr Scott agreed that equity was lacking in the island’s public schools, and condemned the practice of “social promotion”, in which students advanced in school years even when their education was lacking.

A sizeable Heron Bay contingent told the meeting that “small is mighty”, affirming support for the neighbourhood school favoured by parents because of its smallness.

Many voiced support for reorganisation in some form, but insisted that parents should be able to send their children to schools near to their homes.

None favoured transferring students from small schools to larger ones, telling the minister such moves would encourage bullying, while one man got applause when he told Mr Scott that school closures would “bury the legacy and history” that students associated with their early years.

Parents suggested capital campaigns across the island for communities to help their schools. Suggestions ranged from mandatory corporate partnerships, to adopting a lottery to finance revamping schools.

As well as Heron Bay, Prospect Primary School, Gilbert Institute and St David’s Primary School have been singled out for possible closure in the Score report.

“Why would these four be named at the time they were named, before parents had finished making decisions?” one woman asked. “Was it because the decision of the minister had already been made?

A woman who worked for the Department of Corrections lamented seeing her child’s former schoolmates in jail, telling the meeting that earlier misadventures with the public school system had “lost a generation”.

“Don’t let Government play havoc with your children,” she added.

Mike Charles, the general secretary for the Bermuda Union of Teachers, called on Mr Scott to present a vision for better primary schools. The minister spoke of the need for a holistic education with an emphasis on music and sport as well as traditional subjects, and available at all schools.

Mr Charles said Mr Scott had not answered the question: “Maybe that’s why we are where we are,” he said.

Another parent told the forum: “Look at when our children went into middle school; that was a big disruption.

“Look at when CedarBridge became a mega school — how many of our children who were cousins became enemies?

“We have to look at experience, and we have to learn from it.”

A second meeting is scheduled for tonight at Clearwater Middle School auditorium, and a third is set for tomorrow in the CedarBridge Academy café, from 6pm to 8pm.