Published 11th May 2007, 11:47am

There will be a new education law and government is already in possession of the draft report.

Minister of Education Hon. Alden McLaughlin has said that he received the report of the new law from consultants from the UK's National Union of Teachers, who performed the service free of charge.

He said that the law will have clearly outlined areas of responsibility for persons within the Education Department and the Ministry of Education, and provide the type of support that students need.

"The new legislation will also take the opportunity to liberate the energies of the teaching profession so that they can more effectively do what they have dedicated their professional lives to do - that is, to help children learn," Mr McLaughlin said as he addressed the Legislative Assembly.

Among issues that the new legislation will address is standardisation of education at the public and private schools. "It is my considered view that all schools who provide education to children in this country must meet minimum standards in relation to the provision of that education," he said.

The Minister observed that under the current law private schools are not required to be inspected by officers of the Schools Inspectorate. "We must address that issue in the new legislation," he said.

He stressed that the ministry is not seeking to dictate what teaching system the private schools adopt, but that the system must meet the national standard.