Today, 10 September, Bermuda public schools and one special school welcomed 4,820 students for the first day of the 2019-20 school year. All Bermuda public schools were open and safe to receive students today.

The Department of Education would like to report the following in regards to teacher staffing across all schools:

·         10 preschools and DAME have a full complement of staff.

·         All 18 primary schools are staffed except 2 music, 2 art, and 1 PE teacher.

·         All 4 middle schools are staffed except 1 math and 1 foreign language teacher.

The Department of Education has experienced staffing challenges in filling vacancies for music and art teachers at the primary level, and in securing math teachers at middle and senior school levels. In the interim, in cases where there is a staff vacancy, a trained and qualified substitute teacher has been provided.

Staff recruitment is set to commence by the end of September 2019 for placements for September 2020.

With the current staffing complement, the Ministry and Department are confident that all schools are positioned to proceed full-speed ahead with teaching and learning for the 2019/ 2020 school year. The Minister of Education, the Hon. Diallo Rabain and Department of Education staff welcomed all students and staff at schools across the public school system today, and remain encouraged by the opportunities for success that the new school year will bring.