Education

Education: Action Items

SJB Supports the Ministry of Education's Plan 2022, and calls for a publicly accessible timeline, and reporting system updating the community in real time on progress.


In addition to the plans outlined in the document, we add:


Health

  • Ensure the plan has more emphasis on the health of the student body and staff.

  • Talk to students early and often about mental health support, mindfulness and the importance of movement (not solely team sports/ competition).

  • Psychologist and counselor at each school, early identification via testing of education and mental health needs. Lengthen recess and outdoor playtime.

  • Mandatory and comprehensive sex education in all middle and senior schools with particular emphasis on consent and relevant digital issues.

  • Work to include school gardens to ensure students have access to healthy food and that the skill and knowledge of gardening is integrated into the curriculum. (See similar item under Healthcare & Food.)

  • Ensure at least one full meal provided for all students at school, as well as healthy snacks available at all break periods, including advisory, including healthy snack vending machines.


Environmental Justice

  • Impress upon students the importance of planet-consciousness.

  • Incorporate environmental education into the curriculum with climate change included as required teaching in all schools.

  • Ensure there are Recycling programmes at all schools with an emphasis on developing minimal waste schools.


Equality

  • Include gender equality lessons.

  • Ensure schools use all opportunities to promote role models that challenge gender and racial stereotypes.

  • Ensure all public schools are secular environments catering to students of all religions, which will mean removing mandatory prayer (allow instead for moment of reflection or students to say their own prayers), and disallowing altar calls and other infusions of religion.

  • Disallow anti-LGBTQ language as part of any classes/guest speeches.


Inclusive Curriculum

  • Ensure education includes pre-enslavement, colonialism, slavery and segregation. Focus on Bermuda, but also impact on Africa, the Caribbean and the conquest and genocide of the Americas.

  • Implement the Special Education Policy, written in 2013 and still not yet adopted by the Government.


Higher Education

  • Transform Bermuda College into a 4-year college.

Education Team statements