Three new principals for public primary schools were announced yesterday, a week before students return to classrooms.

Over the summer many teachers and parents complained were in the dark about who would be in charge at Paget, West Pembroke and Victor Scott primary schools this year.

Yesterday the Ministry of Education announced Opal Williams would lead West Pembroke Primary, Valerie Williams would run Victor Scott Primary and Trina Cariah would head up Paget Primary.

The vacancies came about for a variety of reasons. Former principal of West Pembroke, Carol Figueiredo, retired this summer, while Wendell Smith is understood to have left Paget after a period of illness.

Dr. Gina Tucker, head teacher of Victor Scott, was told in June that she had to leave the school after an arbitration involving her and a member of staff who filed a grievance against her.

Yesterday, a spokesperson for the Department said: "We congratulate the new Principals on their appointment, and we know that they will settle into their new schools before term starts on September 14th.

"We have every confidence that they, and indeed all Principals and Teachers in Public Education will work hard this year to ensure that students are the priority and that student learning is enhanced."