The Government is hoping new teaching staff for Bermuda's schools will ease problems experienced last year.

Education Minister Tim Smith said 19 new staff would be sought for CedarBridge Academy and other middle schools, to cope with a larger than expected influx of students this year.

It will bring teaching levels to 12 students for every teacher, compared to a UK average of 15 to one.

Included in the recruitment drive will be 15 employees for CedarBridge -- with some to deal with specific issues that arose in the college's troublesome first year.

An educational therapist and assistants will be recruited to tackle behavioural problems encountered with students. And reading specialists will target the literacy difficulties identified.

The Minister is confident the corner has been turned at the academy and is hoping the coming academic year -- which will see an extra 280 students bringing the roll to 1,025 -- will proceed more smoothly.

He said he was confident the new staff would bring an end the "severe'' behavioural problems and raise the poor grades.

He acknowledged that the final percentage of students that achieved grade level was 64. This was of grave concern and every effort was being made to address the problem.

Chief education officer Dr. Joseph Christopher confirmed students with behavioural problems would not be segregated and would be dealt with within the mainstream.