be responsible for ensuring that major education reforms are implemented smoothly.

The temporary team, which has drawn criticism from the Opposition, will include a communications officer, project manager, curriculum coordinator, and a manpower planning officer.

The team will exist for three years as Government plans to have the public school system completely restructured by September, 1995.

Last week, Shadow Education Minister Miss Jennifer Smith questioned the wisdom of the plan, which will also see Government paying the Education Planning Team-recommended communications officer up to $51,000 a year, during "this time of economic restraint''.

She said the communications post seemed to be a duplication of the purpose and function of Government Information Services.

But on Friday, Education Minister the Hon. Gerald Simons stressed that there is a need for the team.

"There is no question that we need to communicate better with the public,'' Mr. Simons said, adding that none of the four officers in Government Information Services can handle the "mammoth task of restructuring'' the public school system.

"Such a project in itself requires good communication,'' he said. "What is required is considerably more than the writing of one or two press releases a week. In fact, the communications officer will be expected to be heavily involved in Ministry meetings, the Ministry's news letter and bulletin.'' Mr. Simons said the Ministry staff which work part time on such publications, like the Ministry's librarian, will be needed more than ever in their professional areas during restructuring.

Noting that there are public relations officers serving large organisations like Bermuda Electric Light Company, the Police Force, and the Bermuda College with 600 full-time students and some 80 lecturers has a part-time public relations officer, Mr. Simons said: "The Ministry of Education is one of the largest organisations in the country.

"Some have argued quite apart from restructuring, the Ministry can use a communications officer.'' And he said that it is not unusual for any project to have a team of specialists.

"If one of our larger resorts in Bermuda where planning to build a new hotel and build two others and implement a new approach, there is no way the management of such a hotel would be required to manage that hotel and build others,'' Mr. Simons said.

"Anyone familiar with projects of any sort will recognise that the practice of setting up a team is the most practical approach.'' According to Friday's advertisement in the Official Gazette , the project manager of the Ministry's special team will be paid up to $77,000 a year for "providing overall management of a small team of highly qualified education specialists''.

The post's duties include preparing a project plan of all reforms from facilities to staff training; preparing a comprehensive budget and monitoring project expenditures; and supervising the special team and support staff.

The curriculum coordinator, who will earn up to $73,750 a year, will be responsible for preparing the Curriculum Development Plan, liaising with the senior education officer in charge of Curriculum and Instruction, and supervising and coordinating the activities of the curriculum development committees.

The Manpower Planning Officer, who will also make up to $73,750 a year, will be required to identify staffing needs and implement new staffing for the reformed system.

Preparing a Staffing Process Plan, developing a five-year plan which projects the personnel needs of the restructured school system, assessing the current teaching force, and developing and implementing a Redevelopment Plan based on the five-year plan and present teacher force will be the job of the Manpower Planning Officer.

The deadline for applicants is June 26.

The deadline for the communications officer post is June 26.