principals appointed by the end of the month.

Cedarbridge Academy principal Ernest Payette told The Royal Gazette he was anxious to get on with the selection process.

The Education Ministry and the Bermuda Union of Teachers this week signed a resolution which ended a three-month dispute over the Ministry's new hiring practices, which included a "surprise'' aptitude test and personality profile for applicants to top public school posts.

Both parties agreed the test results will be thrown out and applicants selected based on their past performance, curriculum vitae, and past evaluations.

And yesterday Mr. Payette said anyone who was excluded from the interview process because of the tests will be interviewed.

Northlands deputy principal Randolph Benjamin -- who refused to take the test -- is believed to be the only person in that category.

Mr. Payette said the interviews will involve the interviewers asking the same questions to each applicant and grading their response on a point system.

After the interviews, he said, he expected to make recommendations to the Permanent Secretary who will then make recommendations to the Public Service Commission.

"We're hoping to know within a week to two weeks who the deputy principals will be,'' he said.