Over the past few weeks the members of the Press and some other irresponsible quarters have set on a campaign to suggest that the opening of schools was saddled with inefficiencies. For the record, the PLP wishes to state the facts and to publicly reiterate our support to the Honourable Minister of Education.

The Ministry of Education has made it clear that 98% of all of the schools in The Bahamas were ready for the 5th September opening. There are a total of 158 schools throughout this nation. Of that number 150 schools opened on the 5th September 2005 without any incident and without any disruption. The Ministry of Education publicly acknowledged that there were 8 schools where there were delays in the completion of the repairs or renovations. The delays inevitably arose out of the challenges faced in the repairs of the structural defects of the schools, which arose either from poor construction or the old age of the structures. However, it is important to note that the overwhelming majority of schools, some 150 schools, were ready for opening and did open on the first day of the school year.

The fact that 8 schools were not ready is no good cause and is no justifiable reason to suggest that there has been failure in the public administration of education. Public officials, particularly those who are vying for public office, owe a duty of responsibility to the public to be responsible in their public commentary. The loose talk and the ease at which the FNM and the BDM jump to the wrong conclusions is appalling and is a direct indication that they have no sense of decency in public affairs.

The PLP supports the Minister and salutes the work that he continues to champion in the Ministry of Education. The record of the PLP in the manner in which the public educational product has improved and has been refashioned speaks and confirms that this PLP Government remains concerned about the state of the system and the schools and will continue to find and to employ creative ways to modernize the educational product for the benefit of the Bahamian people.

The fact that it was Minister Sears who decided to take a bold and sensible decision to end the social promotion policy and to establish new programs in the system like the entrepreneurship program speaks of a Government that has decided to protect the future of the young people of The Bahamas. It is important also to highlight that for the first time police officers will be deployed at all schools to ensure the safety of students and teachers. This approach will go a long way in ensuring the elimination of violence in our schools.

It will always be easy for those who sit outside the Cabinet and the House of Assembly to find fault and to engage in irresponsible and baseless criticisms and to attempt to berate the performance of Ministers. It remains an irrefutable fact that the PLP Government has been able to reposition and transform the educational system and its product in such a way that successes are already being reaped. More children are performing better on the BGCSE exams, more children are reading since the introduction of the Minister's Book Club and more Bahamians are able to obtain a loan from the Ministry's loan scheme only after this Government saved it from financial ruin.

Sometimes memories are short and the FNM tries too hard to run away from their record. They have yet to explain why they took no steps to condemn TG Glover and to build a new school and why they allowed a contractor to build a substandard structure that could not be occupied without jeopardy and which meant wastage of public funds. The FNM should also explain why it agreed for schools to be built in some of the Family Islands in locations that were not safe in the threat of a hurricane.

The recent announcement that the Government will spend some $40 million over the next 24 months to build new schools is another clear indication that this PLP government is focused on the overall improvement of the educational system. In fact, the Government deserves commendation for moving in this direction that can only lead to the creation of a modern and suitable educational environment for the children of The Bahamas.

It is the position of the PLP that the Minister and his team at the Ministry of Education deserve public support for their efforts and we in the PLP will continue to support and publicly salute the work of Minister Alfred Sears.