Veteran educator Randolph Benjamin yesterday accused the Education Department of making him a "scapegoat'' for delays in public school reform.

He said he felt compelled to defend himself after Education Permanent Secretary Marion Robinson "publicly maligned'' his qualifications.

Dr. Robinson earlier this week claimed Mr. Benjamin was not academically qualified for the deputy principal post he was seeking at the new senior secondary school at Prospect.

She said Mr. Benjamin, who along with the BUT protested against a new test for applicants, had a four-year teacher training certificate in physical education while the post required someone with a Master's degree and particular qualifications in curriculum assessment and programme development for teachers.

Dr. Robinson added that the dispute had already caused delays in terms of staff development the senior school, Cedarbridge Academy.

But both the BUT and Mr. Benjamin have denied they were responsible for the delays.

"They now need a scapegoat and it is convenient,'' Mr. Benjamin said, adding that restructuring plans were behind because of poor planning on the part of the Education Department.

"When they closed Devonshire Academy (in June, 1991) that was supposed to be the signal that we were beginning restructuring,'' he said. "But I know for a fact that we are behind.'' And Mr. Benjamin defended his qualifications and his decision not to take the controversial test.

Noting he was filling in this week for Northlands principal Carol Bassett, he said: "I am qualified to do this, but I'm not qualified to be a deputy principal?'' Mr. Benjamin recalled the Ministry brought in a Canadian two years ago to conduct an intensive six-month training course to teach deputy principals and principals about teacher evaluation.

"So now I'm qualified to go inside the classroom and evaluate teachers,'' he noted.

He also pointed out he was on a social studies curriculum development committee.

"I wrote the first family and health education curriculum,'' Mr. Benjamin said. "I've sat on many committees for curriculum development and I know most of our curricula is badly written. That's why we are having problems. I see the effects of the curriculum on students at this school. So I'm very much aware of curriculum design.'' In a letter sent to Dr. Robinson on Tuesday, Mr. Benjamin also pointed out he applied for a sabbatical after he was accepted at Cardiff University in 1989 to pursue a Master's degree in education. But he said Dr. Robinson asked him to withdraw his application because the number of sabbaticals had been reduced.

"I reluctantly agreed,'' Mr. Benjamin noted. "I continued as a deputy principal at both Devonshire Academy and Northlands.

"That having failed, I joined the NASSP (National Association of Secondary School Principals) to keep abreast of educational developments in 1989.'' Mr. Benjamin also said he had taken courses such as human relations, creative discipline, the role of the assistant principal, restructuring and managing change since then and he regularly received bulletins and had a prescribed reading schedule.

"I feel that in practice and theory, I am as competent as any in curriculum development, instructional strategies and evaluation, time-tabling, management and leadership,'' he wrote.

"... After much thought and soul searching I have concluded that I do not fit your profile for advancement in education, particularly as a black male, with a physical education background. I have heard you say on more than one occasion that you do not understand sports or sportsmen. A significant number at Cedarbridge Academy will be motivated by sports. Do not, in all your wisdom, do them a disservice.'' Mr. Benjamin also enclosed letters attesting to his ability from several former educators.

"Either people are lying to me, including senior education officers and people who substitute at all schools, when they tell me I'm doing the best job around here,'' Mr. Benjamin told The Royal Gazette , "or Dr. Robinson's claims are unjustified.

"I would hate to think it is personal. Dr. Robinson taught me. I've had a tremendous amount of respect for her. I even told her that of all the people who taught me, she was the person who inspired me most to become a teacher.'' Mr. Benjamin also stressed he did not refuse to take the test to be a "martyr, renegade, or to jeopardise the future of Bermuda's children''.

"My record shows that I have acted in the interest of children,'' he said.

"But I feel as a born Bermudian I have certain rights and some of those rights have been violated ... This is my livelihood and I'm not going to take it lightly.'' Dr. Robinson declined yesterday to respond to Mr. Benjamin's comments.