Name of Public Authority:   Board of Education

Introduction:

The purpose of the Public Access to Information Act is to—

• give the public the right to obtain access to information held by public authorities to the greatest extent possible, subject to exceptions that are in the public interest or for the protection of the rights of others;
• increase transparency, and eliminate unnecessary secrecy, with regard to information held by public authorities;
• increase the accountability of public authorities;
• inform the public about the activities of public authorities, including the manner in which they make decisions; and have more information placed in the public domain as a matter of routine.

The purpose of the information statement is to provide information to give the public sufficient information about the public authority to help them to make requests and share to what information is already publicly available.

Section A: Structure, Organization and Legislation  [s5(1)a]

Board of Education:

Chairman - Ms. Camille Smalling

Deputy Chairman – Mr. Daniel Reece

Mr. Carlos Symonds

Mr. Jason Wade

Mr. Jonathan Tankard

Mr. Sergio Pitcher

Mrs. Heather Whalen

Mrs. Lauren Hayward-Bell

Mrs. Rhonda Woods-Smith

Ms. Takiyah Rabain

Ms. Denise Booth

Ms. Diamond-Lynn Binns
Ms. Kimberly Creighton

Ms. Pauletta Francis

Sen. Lindsay Simmons
Commissioner of Education (ex-officio)

Bermuda College Representative (ex-officio)

Permanent Secretary (ex-officio)

Governing Legislation:

Education Amendment Act 2021

Education Act, 1996

Education (Applications for Registration of Schools) Rules 1987

Education Rules 2006

Education Rules (Tutorial Sites) 2003

Education (School Support) Rules 2004

Bermuda Government Scholarships Act 2008

Bermuda Government Scholarships Regulations 2013                  

Public Service Commission Regulations, 2001

Policies and Procedures Manual for Principals, (2008)

Policy and Procedures Manual for Teaching Staff

Collective bargaining agreements of the Bermuda Union of Teachers, Bermuda Public Services Union and the Bermuda Industrial Union

Section B: 1) Functions, powers, duties of the Authority  [s5(1)b]

It is the Mission of the Board of Education to improve teaching and learning, building a national consensus via improved communication/outreach on strategies being employed to improve teaching and learning.

The function of the Board of Education is to:

1. make recommendations to the Minister regarding the evaluation of the Commissioner of Education and directors of the Department of Education
2. make recommendations to the Public Service Commission regarding the appointment of the Commissioner of Education, directors of the Department and principals;
3. make recommendations to the Minister regarding educational policy
4. make recommendations to the Minister regarding a statement of vision, values and strategy for education;
5. make recommendations to the Minister regarding its budget, the budget for schools and the allocation, within the budget for schools, of funds for individual schools
6. evaluate, in conjunction with the Commissioner of Education, the performance of schools and boards of governors
7. make recommendations to the Minister regarding the curriculum for schools
8. make recommendations to the Minister regarding methods for assessing the performance of the educational system and monitoring the implementation of plans for improving the system
9. make recommendations to the Minister for the design and implementation of an effective risk management strategy for schools, including policies and measures to control risks relating to the provision of education, security of persons and property and health and safety.
10. Provide monthly reports to the Minister

Section B: 2) Obligations under PATI Act  [s5(1)b]

To provide an information statement for the public and promulgate it [s5],

• To provide other information to the public so that the public needs only to have minimum resort to the use of the Act to obtain information [s6]. This includes:
  • General information, e.g. activities of the Authority 
  • Log of all information requests and their outcome
  • Quarterly expenditure (upon request) [s6(5)]
  • Contracts valued at $50,000 or more.
• To respond to information requests in a timely manner [s12-16]
• To track information requests, and provide this data to the Information Commissioner
• To respond to requests from the Information Commissioner [s9]
• To amend personal information held by the Authority that it is wrong or misleading following a written request by the person to whom the information relates [s19]
• To conduct an internal review if formally requested [part 5]
• To give evidence for review by the Information Commissioner [part 6, 47(4)], or for judicial review [s49], if required
• To provide an annual written report to the Information Commissioner of the status of information requests [s58 (3)].
• To do anything else as required under the PATI Act and subsequent Regulations [s59, 60], including:
  • Fees for Requests for information
  • Management and maintenance of records
  • Procedures for administering the Act 
• To train staff and make arrangements so as to facilitate compliance with the Act [s61]
• To designate one of its officers to be the person to whom requests are directed [s62]

Section C: Services and Programmes [s5(1)c]

The Board of Education reviews and, if necessary, revises its Committee Structure and mandates each year to take account of system progress.  The Board of Education has standing committees in the following areas:

Curriculum & Assessment Committee

Student Services

Finance and Operations

Policy & Research Committee

Human Resources Committee

Technology Committee

The Scholarship & Awards Committee

Section D: Records and documents held [s5(1)d]

Ministry Headquarters

Strategic policy and planning documents                   

Minutes of Meetings

Memoranda 

General correspondence

Section E: Administration (all public access) manuals   [s5(1)e]

Education Amendment Act 2021

Education Act, 1996

Education Rules, 2006

Education (School Support) Rules

Education (Tutorial Sites) Rules 2003

Education (Applications for Registration of Schools) Rules 1987

Bermuda Government Scholarships Act 2008

Bermuda Educators Council Act 2002

Public Service Commission Regulations, 2001

Policies and Procedures Manual for Principals, (2008)

Policy and Procedures Manual for Teaching Staff

Policy and Procedures Manual for Scholarship Committee

Student Code of Conduct

Collective bargaining agreements of the Bermuda Union of Teachers, Bermuda Public Services Union and the Bermuda Industrial Union

Section F: Decision-making documents  [s5(1)f]

Education Amendment Act 2021

Education Act, 1996

Education Rules, 2006

Education (School Support) Rules

Education (Tutorial Sites) Rules 2003

Education (Applications for Registration of Schools) Rules 1987

Bermuda Government Scholarships Act 2008

Bermuda Educators Council Act 2002

Public Service Commission Regulations, 2001

Policies and Procedures Manual for Principals, (2008)

Policy and Procedures Manual for Teaching Staff

Policy and Procedures Manual for Scholarship Committee

Student Code of Conduct

Collective bargaining agreements of the Bermuda Union of Teachers, Bermuda Public Services Union and the Bermuda Industrial Union

Section G: The Information Officer [s5(1)g]

Darlene R. Hartley

Email:  MOEPati@moed.bm

Tel: 278-3344

Section H: Any Other Information  [s5(1)h]

Plan 2022 – Bermuda’s Strategic Plan for Public School Education

Section I: Any Other Information To be Provided?  [s5(1)i]

Records pertaining to individual members of the Board of Education are personal to those individuals.

Section J: Information Statement: Copies and Updates  [s5(2,3,4,5)]

Every public authority shall update its information statement at least once a year, and make it available for inspection by the public at reasonable times by [s5(1-5), PATI Act]:

 Date Information Statement was updated: 30 January 2023

 Locations of Information Statement:           

• Your principal office: Ministry of Education                                                     Y

• Department of Libraries & Archives                                                                           Y

• Available electronically,                                                                                    Y
• Website for public authority (www.moed.bm).                                                  Y

• Have you published a notice in the Gazette indicating the places where the information statement is available for the public?                                                                                    N

• With the Information Commissioner.                                                                 Y

 Signed:  Jasmin Smith

               Acting Permanent Secretary

Date:    30 January 2023