NON-STATE ACTORS IN EDUCATION
2.2 Non-state education provision
3.1 Regulations by distinct levels of education
- Early childhood care and education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
- Primary and secondary education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
- Tertiary education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
3.2 Supplementary private tutoring
According the consolidated Education Act (1996 as amended in 2008 and 2021) “No school other than an aided school, a maintained school or a private school may be operated in Bermuda or be registered or remain registered.” The Act defines private schools as “educational institutions which are in no way maintained out of public funds and which has not received any capital grant-in-aid out of public funds”. The Act also defines “aided school” as the school the whole or part of the property of which is vested in a body of trustees, board of governors or similar body of persons, or any person, on behalf of the school, and which is wholly or partly maintained out of public funds or which, subject to section 17, has, since 1 September 1965, received any capital grant-in-aid out of public funds
2.1 State education provision
State schools
In Bermuda, most primary education (6 years beginning at age 5), middle and senior education (age 11-18) schools are state schools (60%). The education Act 1996 defines Compulsory school age as any age between the age of five years and the age of eighteen years. The school enrolment in government schools is 49%.
Non-state managed, state schools
No information was found.
Non-state funded, state schools
No information was found.
2.2 Non-state education provision
Independent, non-state schools
Independent private schools represent 33% of school enrolment among students in primary and secondary education. These institutions include religious, single-sex schools, co-educational institutions, international baccalaureate (IB) and Montessori institutions. These schools do not receive government subsidies and are funded by tuition fees and donations. They can use their own curricula.
State-funded (government-aided), non-state schools
Aided-schools are owned and managed by a body of trustees, board of governors or a similar body of persons, or any person, and receive (partly or fully) funding from public funds. The share of these institutions was not found.
Contracted, non-state schools
No information was found.
2.3 Other types of schools
Homeschooling
Art. 42A of the Education Act 1996 highlights that the Minister shall establish and maintain, in such manner as the Minister considers appropriate, a register of children of compulsory school age who are receiving education otherwise than by regular attendance at a recognized school. It shall be the duty of the parent of every child referred to in subsection (1) to cause that child to be registered in the register referred to in that subsection. For the purpose of subsection (1), the Minister may make rules in relation to the procedure for the registration of children under that subsection and otherwise in relation thereto. There is a homeschool network in Bermuda which defines itself as a “diverse and inclusive network of families who have chosen to educate their children at home” and whose members “use a wide selection of homeschooling methods, have a variety of philosophical and religious beliefs, and represent different lifestyle”.
Market contracted (Voucher schools)
No information was found.
Unregistered/Unrecognised schools
No information was found.
According to the Education Act, “Without prejudice to the generality of sections 1 to 6 the Minister” (of Education) “shall exercise control and supervision over the organization and activities of aided and maintained schools, and exercise the powers conferred upon him under sections 60, 61 and 62 in respect of private schools.”. In this resepect, The Minister may make rules for administering the Act and for giving effect to its purposes (including on tutorial sites, private schools and extra-curricular activities). The Minister of Health and Family Services supervises the day care centres.
Vision: The Plan 22 mentions among its objectives to reach “50% increase in private sector support (in-kind/monetary) for public education (4-2)”, and “Hire Early Childhood Quality Assurance Officers to support private and government preschools to provide professional training on evidence based practices and coaching for success (2.7)” “Partner with the private sector and donors to provide meaningful support to schools for instructional resources, technology and other programmes (4.1.6), “Develop a system which enables the private sector/private citizens to donate to individual schools (4.1.9)”
3.1 Regulations by distinct levels of education
Registration and approval: The Day Care Centre Regulation (1999) establishes that a person who intends to operate a day care centre should apply according to the Director of the Department of Health instructions and pay a fee prescribed under the Government Fees Act 1965.
Licence: To be registered and receive the licence, the school premises should meet all the infrastructure requirements described in article 11 of the Day Care Centre Regulation (1999), and the relevant standards for fire safety and prevention.
Profit-making: No information was found.
Taxes and subsidies: No information was found.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: The person in charge of a day care centre should provide a description of the centre activities, available on request by inspectors or parents. The program should be well-balanced supporting the developmental needs of all children: regularity in routine, opportunity to have free choice among the activities, daily indoor and outdoor periods, creative activities, private spaces, cultural diversity, self-help skills and intellectual, social and physical development of children in general.
Teaching profession: Childcare centres are in the charge of a person approved by the Director of the Department of Health. This individual is at least 18 years of age and has at least three years of experience in a day care setting and has satisfactorily completed a university degree. At least 50% of the staff should be at least 18 years of age and have satisfactorily completed the Bermuda College Certificate for Child Care Assistants or its equivalent. However, the Director of the Department of Health may authorize the employment of a person who has significant and successful experience in providing day care, even though no formal qualifications have been obtained. At least one staff member should have a certification in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. All school staff must disclose criminal records.
Fee-setting: According to the Education Act 1996 “Every child who has attained the age of three years but who has not attained the age of five years shall, subject to the availability of resources, have a right to receive free preschool education if— there is, in the parish in which the child resides, an aided or maintained preschool; and accommodation is available at that school for the child.”
Admission selection and processes: Conditions for maintanined and aided schools apply from preschool to the beginning of senior education level as set in art. 53 of the education act.
Policies for vulnerable groups: No information was found.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
Reporting requirements: No information was found.
Inspection: Inspectors are allowed to visit and inspect day care centres. The operator must ensure that a record is kept of all inspections and recommendations made by an inspector.
Child assessment: No information was found.
Sanctions: No information was found.
Registration and approval Every school maintained out of public funds should be registered in a specific register. To be registered schools should be “fit for registration.” They would need suitable and safe premises, efficient instruction, adequate and suitable accommodation regarding the number, ages and sex of the children attending school. More generally all schools should be registered with the Ministry of Education. If the managing authority of a school different from maintained schools applies for registration, the Minister, if it appears to him likely that the school (if established) will be a school fit for registration, may register the proposed school, but the registration shall be only provisional until confirmed by the Minister which may make rules prescribing the particulars to be furnished by the managers of schools in connection with applications for registration; and such rules may provide for notification to the Minister of any changes in the particulars so furnished. Where a school is registered pursuant to this section the Minister shall forthwith issue to the manager of that school a certificate of registration. The manager of a school shall cause the certificate of registration to be prominently displayed at someplace on the school premises. Private schools should be registered with the Ministry of Education. The registration can be revoked if the school does not comply with the conditions mentioned before. In this case, the Ministry issues a notice explaining the grounds on which the Minister has come to this conclusion. If schools do not apply remedial measures on time, the Ministry revokes the registration. Unregistered schools are not allowed to function and consequently are liable to pay fines.
Licence: No information was found.
Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH): In order to be registered, schools’ premises should be suitable, adequate and safe for the number, ages and sex of the children attending at the school.
Profit-making: No information was found.
Taxes and subsidies: The government provides grants to aided schools which are determined by the type of education provided and the number of children in that school entitled to receive free preschool, primary school, middle school, or senior school education.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: Aided schools should follow the national curriculum established by the Ministry of Education. In particular, the curriculum of every aided and maintained school shall include such of the following subjects as the Minister considers appropriate, that is to say, business studies, design and technology, family studies, fine arts, foreign languages, information technology, language arts, mathematics, performing arts, physical and health education which shall include information on the risks of, and means of protecting students from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, science and social studies. No information was found for private schools.
Textbooks and learning materials: No information was found.
Teaching profession: The Ministry of Education develops pay scales and an incentive plan for principals and teachers in maintained and aided schools. Where— a board of governors proposes to employ any person; and that person is a member of a trade union; and there is, in respect of a class of persons of which that person is a member, a collective agreement between the Government and that trade union, the terms and conditions of that collective agreement shall have effect in relation to that person. No information was found for private schools.
Corporal punishment: Corporal punishment is lawful in schools according to the Education Rules 2006 under the Education Act 1996.
Other safety measures and COVID-19: No information was found.
Fee-setting: The Education Act sets that “every child who is resident in Bermuda shall have a right to receive free primary school, middle school and senior school education, suited to his age, ability, special needs (if any), aptitude and health, at an aided or maintained school”. No fee shall be demanded, sought or accepted by any teacher, manager or another person from the parent or any other person in respect of any child entitled to receive free education except in respect of education at a private school.
Admission selection and processes: In government-aided schools, children are admitted according to the admission procedures established by the Ministry. It is not allowed to bar entry on grounds of race, place of origin or religion. Parents whose children are not admitted to the school of their choice have the right to appeal to the Appeals Committee.
Policies for vulnerable groups: No information was found.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
School board: The Education Act (1996) indicates that there should be a board of governors in every maintained and aided school that provides senior school education. The parents of children who are enrolled at a school which does not provide senior school or preschool education (art. 21A) may establish a Parent Council for that school in accordance with rules made under section 21C of the Education Act. The name of the Parent Council shall be the name of the school followed by the words “Parent Council”. The Parent Council shall foster parent and community involvement with the school for the purpose of maximising the performance of students of the school and improving the school (art. 21B). The Minister may also, appoint not less than seven and not more than fifteen persons, including persons who are not public officers, to a committee to be known as the Parental Involvement Committee, and such Committee shall in the exercise of its functions be subject to any directions of the Minister. The purpose of the Parental Involvement Committee is to assist the Commissioner of Education in the development of a strategy to improve parent involvement in the education of their children and to engage the community with schools (art. 25I).
Reporting and accountability requirements: The board of governors of every aided or maintained senior school should submit to the MoE estimates of the income and expenditure of the school under its control annually. This includes school staff salaries and allowances and expenditure on maintenance, upkeep and other operating expenses on the school premises. The board of aided or maintained senior schools should also present its accounts for the preceding year to be audited for the Ministry. Moreover art. 25 A sets that, in any maintained and aided school, the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Board, shall design and implement an accountability system that sets annual performance standards for schools in order to measure the performance of the students in each school. The accountability system shall— focus on student performance in English/language arts/reading, mathematics, science and social studies, from primary 3 level through to senior 2 level, inclusive; set minimum performance standards for schools generally; set levels of growth in performance expected for each school; make principals and teachers accountable for the educational growth of students in their schools. Notwithstanding subsection (2)(a), the Commissioner of Education may extend the accountability system to include subjects and grades other than those mentioned in that subsection. The Commissioner of Education, in consultation with the Board, shall design and implement a procedure to identify low performing schools on an annual basis. The Minister may require the manager or principal of any private school to afford him any information relating to the school required by the Minister for the purpose of administering this Act and may require any such information to be given in writing either by the entry of particulars in a form supplied by the Minister or otherwise.
School inspection: The Ministry of Education is allowed to conduct inspections and request any information in private and aided schools with previous notice. A principal who refuses or neglects the inspection or provides reports commits an offence and is liable on conviction by a court of summary jurisdiction to fines determined in the act.
Student assessment: The curriculum in aided schools should specify the assessment arrangements for pupils. The Commissioner of Education shall develop tests for assessing on an annual basis the performance of students from primary 3 level through to senior 2 level, inclusive, in English/language arts/reading, mathematics, science, and social studies. The Government has the authority to determine the examinations to be taken in private schools, as a means of ensuring appropriate academic standards. If the manager or principal of any private school refuses or neglects without reasonable cause to comply with this, the school is deemed to be no longer fit for registration. The Commissioner of Education shall develop academic performance standards for students from preschool level through senior school level. The standards shall, where possible, align with international standards for measuring the academic performance of students. The Minister can direct that all or any of the children in private schools shall take any examination that may be required by the Minister and such examination shall be conducted either orally or in writing by an officer of the Department duly authorized by the Minister in that behalf.
Diplomas and degrees: No information was found.
Sanctions: If at any time the Minister, after due enquiry and consideration, comes to the conclusion that a provisionally registered school or a registered school is not or is no longer fit for registration, then the Minister— in the case of a provisionally registered school may, if he thinks fit, serve upon the manager of the school a notice in the terms specified in subsection (2); and in the case of a registered school shall serve such a notice upon the manager of the school. The time to be specified for the taking of remedial measures referred to in subsection (2) shall be not less than six months. Whether the non-compliance endanger health or other well-being the period to take remedial measure can be shortened by the Minister. In case of irremediable situation, the Minister the Minister may strike the school off the register of schools, and thereupon the school shall cease to be a registered school or a provisionally registered school.
Private universities were not found. Bermuda Community College is the only post-secondary education institution in the country, offering two-year programmes in a range of vocational, technical and academic areas. It is operated by the Ministry of Education.
Registration and approval: No information was found.
Licence: No information was found.
Profit-making: No information was found.
Taxes and subsidies: No information was found.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: No information was found.
Teaching profession: No information was found.
Fee-setting: No information was found.
Admission selection and processes: No information was found.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
Board: No information was found.
Reporting requirements: No information was found.
Inspection: No information was found.
Assessment: No information was found.
Diplomas and degrees: No information was found.
Sanctions: No information was found.
3.2 Supplementary private tutoring
According to the consolidated education act “tutorial site” means an institution, other than a school— that has been approved for the purpose by the Minister; and that provides preschool, primary school, middle school or senior school education for not more than fifteen persons. According to the same law, “The operator of a tutorial site shall at such intervals as the Minister may from time to time determine inform the Minister of the number of children enrolled at the tutorial site and of the attendance record of each child so enrolled.”
No information was found.
Financial operation and quality
No information was found.
No information was found.
