The restructuring of the public school system is proving to be a testing time for teachers.

Due to an overwhelming interest among teachers for a limited number of top posts in upcoming middle and senior secondary schools, The Royal Gazette has learned the Education Department is to use occupational tests in the hiring process.

And some teachers have taken exception to the tests.

One educator said the tests made qualified teachers feel like failures.

"It's a typical approach for when they (education officials) don't know what to do,'' the concerned teacher said.

But Education Department's senior manager of Human Resources, Ray Latter, explained it was the only way the Department could short-list applicants for the upcoming posts.

"We have advertised for the posts of deputy principals and major administration posts in the five middle schools and two senior secondary schools,'' he said.

"We had such an overwhelming response -- in one case 17 people applied for three deputy principal posts at Cedarbridge Academy -- and all the applicants were qualified for the posts as far as the basics. We had to reduce that list.'' Therefore, Mr. Latter said, 87 applicants for deputy principals and other administration posts were tested.

One part of the test dealt with occupational personality, while the other dealt with aptitude.

Mr. Latter explained the latter part involved testing teachers verbal- reasoning and mathematical-reasoning skills.

It was this part, he added, which caused concern among some teachers.

"I can understand some of their concerns,'' Mr. Latter said. "But the focus of the test is not how they can add or subtract. It is really a test of their problem-solving skills.

"We want to ensure that the principals and boards doing the selection had a wide range of selection.'' He also stressed the test was only one part of the selection process.

Applicants will also be selected based on their curriculum vitae, a letter explaining why they were best for the posts, and interviews.

The selection process for the deputy principal posts is expected to be completed by next Wednesday, Mr. Latter said.

Work on selecting team leaders and heads of departments within the schools was also underway and expected to be completed before November 11 when annual leadership training with principals and top administration staff was scheduled to begin.

"We think it is a sensible plan,'' Mr. Latter stressed. "We really did not anticipate the response.'' No one from the Bermuda Union of Teachers could be reached for comment yesterday.

Ray Latter