Berkeley Institute has agreed to take in 96 new students in September based on an assurance that it will receive the required resources.

That promise came from Education Minister Tim Smith during a meeting with chairman of Berkeley's Board of Governors, Calvin White, yesterday.

The Board last week accused the Education Ministry of reneging on several promises, including providing 11 new staff members and resources for the school.

And it warned that Berkeley would not be able to accept any new students in September, if the Ministry did not honour its previous commitment.

Berkeley -- which has plans to build a new senior secondary school facility by the turn of the century -- originally did not plan to take in classes of new students until next year.

But after several meetings and correspondence with the Ministry, the school's board agreed to take in 90 of some 360 students in September to assist the Ministry in freeing up space at CedarBridge Academy.

However, the board clearly outlined its terms for accepting the students, including a request that the Education Minister (at the time Jerome Dill) approve hiring for 39 teachers -- an increase of five teaching and six support staff.

Mr. Dill agreed that Berkeley would receive the staff and resources needed to take in 90 students and announced this at a Press conference on April 15.

But since that time, the board stated, "the actions of the Ministry of Education have served to undermine the very foundation of trusts and mutual cooperation upon which the agreement was reached''.

And it gave specific examples of this, including: the Chief Education Officer allocating more students to Berkeley without prior discussion; the failure of the resource person to produce a timetable -- the sole purpose for which that person was requested and provided; the unannounced production, by the same resource person, of a report on staffing requirements which was based on incomplete data and prepared without the board and the principal's knowledge and input; and Berkeley agrees to accept new students in September the Ministry's decision to reduce the previously agreed staffing levels by four persons.

"The Board wishes to publicly reaffirm its commitment to providing the same high quality of educational experience to the student population in September 1998 as we have over the past 100 years,'' it stated in a five-page release last week.

"The Board can do this if, and only if, the Ministry of Education fulfils all of the terms of the agreement that we have negotiated in the best interest of the incoming students.'' President of Berkeley's PTSA Wilfred Lightbourne also handed over a petition bearing some 80 signatures to Mr. Smith outside the House of Assembly. But yesterday, Mr. Smith assured the Board and "people of Bermuda'' that Government was committed to providing "all necessary resources to fulfil the needs of the school''. In a two-page letter to Mr. White, he said: "I am pleased to share with you the commitments the Ministry is prepared to make.'' This, he said, included: Providing the school with an additional maximum of five staff members to provide classroom instruction. This is contingent upon the principal validating the need for that number of staff upon completion of the school timetable; Providing two learning support teachers, an educational therapist, and two teacher assistants to cater to students with special needs; Providing one staff developer/work experience coordinator to work with teachers to improve instructional practices and with firms to provide day release and other forms of work experience to students; Providing the technical support to maintain the information technology resources; Funding staff development to the tune of more than $30,000; and Capping the number of additional students at 96.

"It goes without saying that this Government will place its full resources behind both CedarBridge Academy and the Berkeley Institute,'' Mr. Smith later said. "It is this Government's pledge to guarantee every Bermudian a free, high quality public education -- an education that makes it possible for every Bermudian to achieve his or her God-given potential.'' Welcoming the latest agreement, Mr. White told The Royal Gazette : "I'm delighted that we can now put this behind us and look forward to the most important task, providing the best education opportunities to the students entering Berkeley in September.''