Education standards expert Paul Wagstaff, who was the front-runner for the role of Commissioner of Education, has declined the position, this newspaper understands.

Mr Wagstaff, who has a history in school improvement and advisory services in Britain including on the Curriculum Division of Ofsted, was tipped to take the position last autumn. But according to well-placed sources, the Dubai-based educator “declined the offer” from the Ministry of Education.

It is also understood that an announcement will be made with regards to the hiring of an education commissioner within the next month.

The hiring of the non-Bermudian was said to have been delayed last year as no agreement could be made on the “economic terms of the appointment”.

Minister of Education Wayne Scott, who has always been a strong advocate of hiring a Bermudian into the position of education commissioner, declined to comment when contacted by this newspaper.

However, last September on discovering that Mr Wagstaff was in the running to fill the position, Mr Scott said: “My position has been very clear all along — I think that the position of education commissioner is a position that should be Bermudianised.

“I have also said that if there is a compelling argument for a skill set that exists outside of what we currently have — like if we need to modify the education system — I would like to see, etched in stone, a development plan in place ahead of time for the training of one of our local people.”

Mr Wagstaff was responsible for leading “major evaluations of government initiatives including a major review of the teaching and reading”, according to Ruskin Education where he is chairman.

According to his biography, he was appointed the national director of the Primary National Strategy in 2006 and led a revision of Britain’s National Literacy and Numeracy strategies, a major initiative aiming to raising standards in state primary schools.

He moved to CfBT in 2011 to help establish a new regional structure and successful strategy for growth in the role of regional director, before moving into his current role at Ruskin Education LLC.

It is the latest in a series of difficulties regarding the position of education commissioner. On the appointment of Mr Scott in January 2015, Michael Dunkley said the appointment of a permanent secretary and an education commissioner was “imminent”.

However, while Valerie Robinson-James was appointed permanent secretary the following month, the commissioner’s seat remained empty with Freddie Evans sitting as acting commissioner. The previous commissioner, Edmond Heatley, had a short tenure lasting eight months. The Commissioner of Education is a statutory post with legislative responsibilities, and therefore must be filled.

The Royal Gazette has reached out to Mr Wagstaff for comment but has not yet received a response.