yesterday.

Warwick Academy headmaster Mr. Bernard Beacroft said "the school will not want to be involved in that sort of activity''.

"The school stands for high standards educationally and morally.'' he said.

"We have a programme that teaches children the importance of marriage, the importance of caring relationships.

"We obviously stand against casual sexual relationships. We stand against promiscuity and clearly we feel the distribution of condoms will undermine that position.'' Mr. Beacroft's comments came on the heels of half of the Island's high school principals who made it clear that they did not want to have condoms available in their schools.

Health Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness, last month, said he was considering a plan to make condoms available in high schools -- as is the case at the Bermuda College.

This, he said, was in light of the Island's increasing statistics of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDS.

But Mr. Beacroft said: "I personally don't feel that schools are the proper agency for distribution of condoms. Society should have different agencies for that''.

Mr. Beacroft, like St. George's Secondary principal Mr. Dale Butler, said there were many "practical difficulties'' to consider if schools were to supply condoms.

"Would we do it with or without parental permission?'' Mr. Beacroft asked.

"Which year groups are we considering or are we embracing all year groups?'' He said even if condoms were only distributed to 15 and 16-year olds, there was nothing to stop them from giving condoms to younger students.

"How are these things to be distributed? All of these questions are difficult to answer and therefore will be difficult for us to administer and keep control.'' "I don't think schools should be an agent of a permissive society,'' he stressed.

Mr. Edness yesterday said he welcomed and respected principals' views.

"But,'' he said, "I just want to save these children's lives.

"I appreciate there is always a morality attached to everything we do in life.

"However, I'm aware of our high pregnancy rate among teenagers. Sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS statistics are telling us that more heterosexual young people are becoming infected.

"While most young people are not sexually active, there is a group that is.

And we have to find a way to protect these kids.'' Mr. Edness said if parents and teachers did not want condoms at schools, they should look at putting programmes in schools "by which they can increase higher consciousness of abstinence''.

"There are programmes that can be taught one-on-one or collectively,'' he said, adding that his Ministry will be sending samples of such programmes to schools. And letters will be sent to PTAs via the principals (for their feedback) on the issue.

In addition to the Skills for Adolescence programme taught in some schools, there is Programme Project which is having some success in North America, Mr.

Edness said.

The Peer Counselling programme, introduced in three schools earlier this year, was also helpful.

A young Bermudian, who has been trained in the programme, will return home soon to help other schools implement the programme, he added.

Mr. Edness also stressed that Government was putting out "all kinds of'' warnings about AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

"But,'' he said, "public announcements only reach certain people.

"Talking to children in this community is a problem. We all have a responsibility to talk to them.

"However, information tells us that the role models that affect children's behaviour most are parents. So parents must talk to their children.''