PLP PRESS CONFERENCE REMARKS: MONDAY, MAY 29 2017
SEN. TINEE FURBERT, JP
PLP Spokesperson for Disability Affairs; PLP Senate Spokesperson for Education
Good afternoon to the media and the community,
I once heard, "Promises are worse than lies as you don't just make people believe, you also make them hope."
In 2012, the OBA made many promises; promises the Bermudian people believed and promises that gave Bermudians hope. They went on to break those promises, with no apologies and no excuses.
The OBA promised to do the following for our students:
They promised to implement fully integrated technical education beginning in the middle schools as recommended by the Hopkins Report.
They promised to expand preschool spaces to increase access to early education
They promised to extend the school day to allow more time for art, music, sports and academic support.
They promised to empower teachers by giving them the resources and support they need
The assured us they would provide a white paper on Inclusive and Special Education after the Green Paper was submitted in 2013. We have yet to see updates on this.
Pretty words and noble ideals... never delivered and in many cases not even started.
Education hasn't gone forward under the OBA. It's gone nowhere. With four Education Ministers in four years, there’s been no consistency.
For too long, too little has been done to give our teachers and students the environment they need to succeed.
For too long, too little has been done to ensure that access to quality education isn't just for the children whose parents can afford it.
Bermuda can and must do better on education... for our children, our country and our future.
Our vision is realistic, achievable and has been drawn from our Bermudian experts, educators, parents and students.
But equally as important as being realistic and achieve able, our leader and our team have the will to make it reality.
We owe our children, our country and our future nothing less.
Please join us for a Town Hall on Education Wednesday May 31st at 7:00pm art Elliot Primary School. We look forward to the feedback of the community at this forum.