Ministerial Statement by the Minister of Education and Workforce Development, The Hon. Diallo V. Rabain, JP, MP:  

Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to inform this Honourable House of the transition of the Community Education Development Programme, a reorganization that is being done to better serve the needs of Bermudians.

Mr. Speaker, Let me remind my Honourable colleagues that the Community Education Development Programme or CEDP was transferred from the Ministry of Social Development and Sport to the Ministry of Education and Workforce Development in July 2017.  As CEDP was not a Department it was important to ensure effective placement of resources within the Ministry of Education and Workforce Development.  Upon review of a feasibility study of the CEDP as undertaken by the Government’s Management Consulting Section (MCS) in 2016, and additional data supplied in 2017, the statistical data revealed a declining trend in enrolment of courses offered going from 2,505 clients in 2012/13 to 746 clients in 2017/18.

Mr. Speaker, It is within this context, that I commissioned an operational review of the Programme with the purpose of assessing its continued relevance and determining the best course for moving forward which supported the Government’s mid-term education platform objective of aligning the Department of Workforce Development, the Community Education and Development Programme, and Libraries and Archives with the Ministry of Education to ensure life-long learning and accessibility to education.  This operational review of the CEDP was undertaken by the Management Consulting Section and completed in December 2017.

Mr. Speaker, This Honourable House may recall that the CEDP has been operating as a community-based education programme since 1979.  Based on a Flint, Michigan model of community development, the CEDP delivered educational, recreational and self-development courses.  A more in-depth analysis of the data included in both the 2016 and 2017 MCS Reviews showed that:

• More CEDP courses are cancelled than offered;
• Roughly 30% of participants are non-Bermudian;
• Nearly 90% of courses offered are Sports/Leisure related;
• Developmental courses are not “Credentialed”
• Average class size is eight (8) participants at a cost to the Government of $450 per person; and,
• Many other Government Departments, not-for-profit and private organizations have ‘encroached’ on CEDP programme areas.

What the data did not reveal was whether the courses reached a group in need, or if the right courses were being offered.  The high participation rate by non-Bermudians and the high percentage of sports/leisure courses, inferred that our vulnerable Bermudians do not make up a large portion of the client group, and that the current participants already have the means and ability to source courses elsewhere.

Mr. Speaker, Consequently, options were developed by MCS with the input of CEDP staff that focused on the needs of vulnerable Bermudians and that best supported the Government’s agenda.  After listing and assessing benefits and challenges associated with each option, the optimal path was to transition the CEDP staff inclusive of the Summer Internship Programme to the Career Development and Training Sections in the Department of Workforce Development.  The knowledge and skillsets that the CEDP staff will bring to the work programme of these Sections will directly support the vulnerable Bermudians in preparation for the workforce, as originally intended. Additionally, the transition of the CEDP staff and financial resources will also align with supporting the Government’s long-term objective of establishing a One Stop Career Centre within the Department of Workforce Development.

Mr. Speaker, It is important to note that with the CEDP’s recent history, its focus, and competing services from the Government of Bermuda, not for profit, and the private sector, the indications are that the service gaps will be minimal as a result of the transitioning of the programme.  Nonetheless, a detailed communication strategy will be developed informing the general public of various alternative programmes and course providers that offer opportunities similar to what CEDP was offering.

Mr. Speaker, This communication strategy will span the use of various forms of print, electronic and social media messages to ensure that this information is widespread and reaches everyone. The messages will inform the public by listing the names of the various public and private organizations that offer similar programmes and courses in the community that were offered by the CEDP.

Mr. Speaker, I remind this Honourable House that in 2016 the CEDP had suspended their Winter Term programme and provided the general public with alternative programmes and courses.  During this period, individuals were well served by the organizations that offered them; and we anticipate the same with the transitioning of the CEDP to the Department of Workforce Development.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the seven staff members of the CEDP under the leadership of the Executive Director, Dr. Patricia Chapman-Dill for their sustained diligence to deliver the CEDP programme on an annual basis with excellence.  This same level of commitment will now be transferred to supporting and preparing the wider group of our Bermudians with the necessary skills to take advantage of both current and future job opportunities.

Mr. Speaker, There are exciting times ahead for the Bermuda workforce, and this Government will ensure that a sound and living workforce development plan is in place to effectively prepare our people for the world of work.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker