Minister the Hon. Gerald Simons, a spokesman for the Bermuda National PTA said yesterday.

But the Association of School Principals yesterday joined opponents of the cuts and called for a united effort to fight the cutbacks.

National PTA treasurer Mr. John Thorne said: "The fact that (Mr. Simons) has been able to show us that these cuts aren't going to affect the quality of education has reduced our concerns.

"We're still of the opinion that there shouldn't be any cuts,'' he said.

"However, the Minister of Education and Permanent Secretary Dr. Marion Robinson were able to convince us that if the proposed cuts go through, they shouldn't affect the quality of education.'' Mr. Thorne, National PTA president Mrs. Marian Askia, and National PTA vice-president Mr. Harold Smith met for two hours yesterday with Mr. Simons.

Earlier, the National PTA had predicted a petition drive and march on the House of Assembly to fight $2.2 million in cuts from the Education Ministry's $46-million budget. It remains to be seen whether such action will occur, Mr.

Thorne said.

Mr. Simons agreed to meet on February 6 at Bermuda College with representatives of PTAs from around the Island, he said.

The Minister described yesterday's meeting as "very fruitful''. "They were much happier having heard the explanation of how the cuts would be made. I assured them that we would maintain the quality of education in Bermuda.'' The cuts include 25 teaching jobs, summer school, 50 percent of the textbook budget, teachers' pay for extracurricular activities and overseas conferences, and budget for special purchases like trophies at maintained schools.

Mr. Simons said on Wednesday the cuts were still being finalised and some may not be achievable.

As an example of how teaching jobs would be cut through attrition, Mr. Simons said two classes which each had fewer than a dozen students might be combined into one class with fewer than 24 students.

Mr. Thorne said Mr. Simons was "just as concerned as us'' about plans to eliminate summer school programmes. "He does not want to see the summer programmes cut and he does in fact plan on going back and telling them that they have to put this through without affecting the summer programmes.

"If he goes ahead with those summer programme cuts, then we're not going to be very happy.'' Mr. Simons told The Royal Gazette summer programmes "would probably be the first to be reinstated'' of all areas cut, but he was not able to say yesterday they definitely would be restored.

The National PTA still believes no cuts should be made, because it is concerned about how the funds will be recovered in future years, Mr. Thorne said.

ASP president Mr. Melvyn Bassett said the ASP recognised the financial dilemma facing the Ministry.

But he said it could not support the cuts, which fell "in much-needed, sensitive areas'', especially summer programmes.

"Parents, teachers, indeed the entire community, need to make the voice of objection to the educational budget be heard loudly and clearly,'' he said.