The Ministry of Education yesterday introduced the new Permanent Secretary of Education to the media.

Rosemary Tyrrell will commence her duties at Permanent Secretary early in the New Year and will perform the lead role in the development and implementation of policy for departments within the Ministry.

Ms Tyrrell has over 19 years experience in education, educated at Walden University, Fitchburg, the University of Massachusetts, the West Indies College and Andrews University.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and a Master of Arts degree in History.

Ms Tyrrell recently returned to Bermuda from overseas where she was employed for the last 14 years as Director of Education in the Atlantic Union College of SDA in South Lancaster, Massachusetts.

In this position she served as advisor to 70 schools ? elementary and secondary ? training and supervising superintendents and academic principals, conducting seminars for new teachers, supervising approval of all new schools, organising union-wide education conventions, writing newsletters and articles for magazines, presenting and marketing events, developing wage scales and budgets and developing agendas for education committees.

Education and Development Minister, Terry Lister yesterday (Thursday) said he was delighted that Ms Tyrrell returned to Bermuda to impart her particular expertise.

Mr. Lister said: ?We believe that her knowledge and depth of experience will certainly benefit the people of Bermuda and contribute to the very important task that lies ahead in overseeing the education of Bermuda?s school children.?

Ms Tyrrell said she was proud to be a product of the public school system in Bermuda, having attended Northlands Elementary, Bermuda Institute and Whitney Institute.

She said her first challenge was getting to know ?her team of educators? at the Ministry and was not ?too concerned? at this point about curriculum and ?those kinds of things?.

Ms Tyrrell takes over from Michelle Khaldun, who served as Permanent Secretary for five years before accepting the position of general manager of the Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation in July.