Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, the Hon. Glenys Hanna Martin led debate in the House Of Assembly on a compendium of bills aimed at overhauling the education system on Wednesday.
While speaking on the Education Bill, 2026 Hanna Martin explained, “this legislation raises up education to the highest pinnacle in our quest for human advance undergirded by progressive policy and a targeted administrative regime to procure desired outcomes for the Bahamian child. This is not symbolic language. It is a legal and moral declaration that every child regardless of background, ability, location or circumstance is entitled to education.”
The new regime will see the mandatory school start age lowered from five to four. Hanna Martin said, “this provision recognizes what educators, parents and researchers have long known, the early years are critical. Learning gaps formed early are difficult to reverse. Early investment delivers lifelong benefits. By making pre-primary education compulsory this bill confirms that early childhood education is not optional. It ensures that all children enter primary school with foundational skills in language, early numeracy, social development, learning readiness.”
According to the education minister the education bill establishes that education in the country will no longer be defined by seat time, attendance and physical location. She said, “instead it is defined by what students are expected to know, understand and by able to do at each stage of their education.
The bill also legally regulates homeschooling parents. Parents would be allowed to teach their children at home but must register, meet minimum standards and show that learning is happening. The minister said, “the framework protects children’s right to an education, supports parents those clarity rather than uncertainty, brings home education into the national education family. This is about partnership not punishment and about ensuring every child’s education counts.”
The Early Childhood Care Commission Bill, 2026 and the National Youth Commission Bill, 2026 are also being debated as part of the compendium of bills.
