While most public schools are expected to open their doors to students on August 28th, "one or two" schools will start with alternative plans before coming on campus, according to Minister of Education Glenys Hanna-Martin.

"We expect that all of our schools will open for students on the 28th," Hanna-Martin told reporters following a tour of school repairs yesterday.

"There are some campuses where the work will continue while teachers in one or two schools teachers will go to a plan B before coming onto the campus. But it is our anticipation that on the 28th the young people in this nation in their uniforms will enter schools nationwide."

"Now if there's some little tweaking or something that will happen after hours, that's fine. But the bulk of the major works will be completed and I don't anticipate there will be much if anything other than some minor repairs which will not disrupt anything."

Yesterday, members of the press, along with Prime Minister Philip "Brave" Davis, Minister of Works Alfred Sears and Hanna-Martin, toured school repairs at Government High School, Woodcock Primary School, T.A. Thompson Junior High School, and R.M. Bailey Senior High School.

Hanna-Martin described the work being done at Government High School as a "major redevelopment" of that school.

Several classroom blocks and buildings had extensive work underway, with dozens of workers present on Sunday.

It was a similar situation at Woodcock Primary, which is also going through a major redevelopment. That school, located in the heart of Bain Town, was covered in scaffolds as dozens of men worked on various repairs.

Officials also visited T.A. Thompson Junior High School, as well as R.M. Bailey Senior High School and Uriah McPhee Primary School, which also have several buildings and classroom blocks either under construction or getting major work done to them.

"We saw government high, which is a major major redevelopment," Hanna-Martin said.

"We saw T.A. Thompson the year before and we saw Woodcock Primary. Our objective is to ensure that the children and young people of this nation go into spaces of learning, and that they are able to come of their own as young people."

Hanna-Martin highlighted factors that delayed repairs, noting that "summer is a very short snapshot."

"We had weather conditions, other issues, ordering supplies where there is a shortage of supplies, long lead items, all of these challenges," she said.

"I want to say, I am so pleased at what our contractors have brought to the table. The expertise, the passion [and] the sacrifice in helping us to achieve the agenda. I want to thank the prime minister who is the minister of finance. This is our third opportunity to effect repairs and you will see we're not just changing a door knob or fixing a light bulb. This is redevelopment of our school plant.

"Government High, when I saw it, I was shocked that that is where our young people were going, and we have completely ... redeveloped that school. R.M. Bailey is under redevelopment as we move to the next repair period. We have to redevelop more. We are redeveloping Woodcock Primary, one of the oldest schools that has major redevelopment. So to answer your question, we anticipate and expect and are confident that on the 28th students will be in the classroom nationwide."

As for teachers in the classroom, Hanna-Martin said they've done more recruiting and they've tried to make the profession more attractive to prospective educators.

She said one of the challenges is "the physical environment".

"You enhance the physical environment that people are working in," she said.

"We increased salaries, unprecedented in the most recent agreements with the manager's union, and with both teacher's unions.

"We've also, in collaboration with the Republic of Cuba, recruited about 40 teachers who are coming in mostly technical and vocational skills and some special education. We are continuously recruiting.

"So while we believe that we will continue to face a global phenomena, we are doing all we can in The Bahamas to ensure that we close the gaps. So I think that we are aggressively tackling the issue."

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