Bermuda’s education minister was guarded yesterday on whether more public schools would be closed in the future. Diallo Rabain said that the decision to close TN Tatem Middle School, in Warwick, would provide a “framework” if other closures were to be considered.But he would not confirm that more school closures were planned. Mr Rabain told the media: “I think the community should look forward to the restructuring plans that the Department of Education and the Ministry of Education has. “Everything that we do is always done with this in the forefront of our mind — what is best for our students.”Mr Rabain said that the Government had been “very consistent” on its pledge to phase out middle schools.He added that the process was “still in the stages of being developed”. Mr Rabain said: “Once we get to the point where we’re ready to communicate what’s going on, exactly, with the public, and after we’ve had input from our stakeholders, we will be moving forward with the phasing out of middle schools.” The minister added that an announcement on the future of the public school system would be made before the start of the next school year. Mr Rabain said: “For the upcoming school year, we don’t foresee anything changing very much from where we are now.” David Burt, the Premier, said this week that the pledge to phase out middle schools was the “signature promise” of the Government in its election platform in 2017.He added: “I am cognisant that I cannot go back to the polls unless I deliver on my signature promise.” The comment came in response to a question on the state of the public education system from an audience member at a youth forum.Mr Burt said that he had been assured by Mr Rabain that the next school year would be the “the last school year of our current system”.