The new $60 million Berkeley Institute will be the "envy of the world'' when it opens in 2003, Education Minister Milton Scott said yesterday.

Sen. Scott made the claim at a public meeting for parents and students as Government architects unveiled plans for the new school.

The publicly-funded school, catering to 850 students, will be built on the western side of Berkeley Hill, Pembroke, across the road from the existing school.

It will include an arts and dance studio, visual arts, graphic arts, and music studios, television editing suites, video conferencing facilities, an outdoor eating terrace, and the Island's first National Basketball Association-sized basketball court.

Sen. Scott said: "Once completed, this school will be a state of the art facility that will be the envy of any facility in the western hemisphere of comparable size.'' The land on which the institute stands is owned by the Berkeley Education Trust.

The Trust and the Works and Engineering Ministry are in talks about the future of the site after 2003 when the school transfers over, but it is expected the Trust will transfer the land to Government.

The cutting-edge building, which will be three storeys high at its tallest point, uses traditional Bermudian architectural styles with some Roman elements.

Works and Engineering Minister Alex Scott, who also attended the meeting, said some former Berkeleyites would experience "mixed emotions'' in 2003 that the school will be moving 106 years after it was established.

But he added: "The accomplishments of all great men and women and the contribution of all great institutions are not written on just one page.

"Today represents turning the page and continuing the rich history of the great Berkeley story.'' Berkeley Institute principal Michele Gabisi said the new school, which will include computers in every classroom, will help Berkeley students compete locally and internationally for top positions.

She said: "This will allow teachers to provide a curriculum in a technologically-rich environment. It will allow teachers to be as familiar with technology as they are with a pen and paper.'' Ms Gabisi said the video conferencing facility would allow staff and students to communicate face to face with peers in other parts of the world.

School's in: works Minister Alex Scott, left, points out some of the elements of the $60 million Berkeley Institute. The new school, to be built across Berkeley Roads from the current campus, is supposed to open in 2003.

Artist's impression: How the rear of the new Berkeley Institute will look.