Construction of the $58 million Prospect senior school is "on time and on budget'', Education Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira declared yesterday at a first on-site visit by the interim secondary school board.

So far, the steel structure of the main classroom block to the south and gymnasium to the north west of the site are 85 percent complete. Over the next month, work is expected to intensify with more than 100 men working on the massive 240,000 square foot site to meet the September 1997 deadline.

"This is a very historical occasion. Bermudians will be very, very proud of it,'' Dr. Terceira declared yesterday.

The appointment of the board came under fire in June for being "too narrow''.

Chairman of the Bermuda Technical Institute Association Mr. Delmonte Davis and Shadow Education Minister Ms Jennifer Smith claimed the board was not a broad enough cross-section of the community.

The board's main task is to find a principal for the school. They have until the end of the year to find a Bermudian working overseas to fill the post. But if the search proves fruitless, they will be forced to look at other overseas candidates.

Yesterday, the group composed of former teachers, a lawyer, a scientist and business people and chaired by Belco president and CEO Mr. Garry Madeiros were more preoccupied with classroom size and student/teacher ratios.

Dr. Terceira said classrooms would average 18 to 20 students with an overall student/teacher of 14 to 1. Corridors linking music and dance, technology, science and main classroom blocks would be covered and wheelchair accessible.

The diversity of subjects to be taught from performing arts, cosmetology and design and technology was expected to play a significant role in curbing student drop-out rates.

"We want there to be something for every student. The idea is to keep people from sitting on the wall,'' Dr. Terceira said.

His aim was to ensure every student left the school computer literate.

Children with special needs would be integrated into the school. Those with delinquent tendencies would be pulled out and placed in an alternative education system. This, said Dr. Terceira was a new idea which was being currently worked on.

"We have nowhere near the problems with discipline that other places have.

But we have to get on top of it and make sure that drugs are not involved,'' he said.

The interim board will also be working with the Police force to develop a special link with schools especially at primary levels to improve the relationship among Bermuda's youth and Police.

Dr. Terceira said he would be meeting with Police Commissioner Mr. Colin Coxall next week to discuss assigning a Police officer to each primary school.

The Hon. Clarence Terceira