Kalmar Richards was named as the Commissioner of Education yesterday.

Ms Richards, the former CedarBridge Academy principal, had acted in the role since last December after Freddie Evans was removed from the post two months earlier.

Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education and Workforce Development, said that Ms Richards had shown “continuous and determined commitment” to Bermuda’s public schools.

Mr Rabain added: “With the operationalisation of the Public School Strategic Plan 2022 in train under her leadership, we anticipate greater transformation of public school education and sustained success for our students and their future.”

Lorren Wilson, acting chairman of the Board of Education, said: “We look forward to working with her and pledge our support as she leads the Bermuda public school system.”

Dr Evans was appointed as commissioner in March 2017, but was removed seven months later after a public dispute with the Department of Education.

Previously, the position had been vacant since the short and controversial tenure of Edmond Heatley ended in 2014.

A statement said Ms Richards “has acquired extensive experience teaching students, as well as leading, coaching and mentoring teams of instructional leaders and support staff at all school levels in the public school system”.

It added: “During her time as senior school principal, she demonstrated transformative leadership at the CedarBridge Academy, a school initially rejected by the broader community, successfully steering its international accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools in the United States in 2007 and again in 2017.”

Ms Richards’s 35-year career in education began as a high schoolteacher in 1983.

She has also worked as a primary school and senior school principal, most recently at CedarBridge.

Kenneth Caesar, the former principal at Sandys Secondary Middle School, has served as acting principal at CedarBridge since January.