Educators have come under fire for failing to tell parents in good time that their children were to be moved from their public schools and sent to the new alternative facility today.

One parent called The Royal Gazette to complain that she was informed only on Tuesday that her son would no longer be attending Berkeley Institute next week as planned, but would be going to the new school for students with behavioural problems, instead.

The Ministry of Education has openly admitted that it has been unable to so far contact all parents of those children who are being moved out of mainstream education and into the alternative school from today, but has failed to explain why it was left to the eleventh hour.

And last night the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) of CedarBridge Academy, where most of the students are being transferred from, said it had no idea about the plans for the alternative school and said it had been kept in the dark over the issue.

Spokesman for the PTSA Robin Richardson said: "As far as I know, the PTSA has no idea what it happening with this alternative facility. I didn't even know the location of it had changed. There has been no consultation.

"I think these parents have every right to be annoyed and upset. I am sure many of these parents knew their children were having a problem in school, but for the Ministry of Education or the school to make a phone call this week to say they are being moved out is disgusting.

"Don't these parents deserve to have a meeting with the school or the Ministry about this? What if they totally disagree with the change of school?

"These children are being treated like cattle and it's disgusting. You can't surprise parents like this. They have a right to know what is going on. Now is not the right time to call them and say they are going to a new school in a matter of days."

But Mr. Richardson said he could not understand why the whole issue of the alternative school had been shrouded in mystery from day one.

"I'm very happy that Government is taking some type of stand and giving us an alternative school, but I'm not happy the are doing it as though it is some kind of CIA operation," added Mr. Richardson.

The Royal Gazette was only informed that the new school was opening when a press notice was sent on Thursday evening.

The notice said some students would be sent to the new facility at the old Devon Lane School site, while some would be sent to the CARE Learning Centre.

However, it did not explain how many students were being removed, and why it had been arranged so late in the day.

And attempts to obtain more information from the Ministry about the issue failed yesterday.

Angry mother Lynn Morton said she was only informed on Tuesday this week that her son Antwon, 16, was being moved to the CARE Learning Centre from Berkeley.

She said she had already spent money on buying him a new uniform for Berkeley, and had spent $7,000 sending him to a military school overseas in the summer in an attempt to straighten him out.

Ms Morton admitted her son had failed some classes and had not finished some assignments, but said he had also been a victim. She said only last year he needed stitches to his face after another student hit him with a broom, resulting in the other pupil being expelled.

She said: "He's going to have to just do the General Education Diploma (GED), which sounds like a school for dummies to me. He wants to be a lawyer.

"The (Berkeley) principal said it was due to what happened last year. But if she knew what she was doing a while ago, she had plenty of time to let me and the child know before I bought the uniform."

The statement released by Minister for Education Paula Cox said the new facilities had been provided following complaints by parents and teachers at CedarBridge Academy and Berkeley Institute over the growing number of unruly students.

She said: "The two public senior schools are in contact with the parents of the students involved. There have been some challenges in contacting all parents because many were off the Island.

"However, the effort to contact those parents who have not been reached will continue. It is our plan to meet with parents to ensure that they are familiar with the alternative arrangements."

The statement said both the Devon Lane School and CARE Learning Centre were ready to start receiving students.

She added: "The decision comes after listening to and reviewing the concerns of parents and staff at the public senior schools.

"The students concerned have already been identified by the respective school and will not be returning to that senior school in the fall."

She said some will attend an expanded version of The Educational Centre, house at Devon Lane School, and others will go to CARE, which has a one-year contract to provide services.

She said all students moved out of mainstream education will be engaged in a variety of academic courses, resulting in the GED, as well as in counselling sessions.

Head teacher of Berkeley Institute Michelle Gabisi said the only reason parents were finding out now so late was because "it has taken the Ministry of Education some time to find arrangements for students recommended for alternative education".

She said the Ministry had been working on the issue for a while, but it had not resided with just the Ministry, so had taken time.

She added: "We are still calling people because some folk are still off the Island and it is proving a little difficult to get hold of everyone. You will have to speak to the Ministry of Education about why it has been so late."