The Public Service Commission chairwoman yesterday backed the way school heads were recently appointed.

Mrs. Jeannette Cannonier said correct procedure was followed by the Commission and Permanent Secretary of Education Dr. Marion Robinson.

She said it had been a "long-standing practice'' for the Commission to appoint qualified people as principals.

But it was the Ministry of Education which assigned those heads to particular schools.

"The Ministry, through delegated powers, may assign those individuals to vacant principalships at any school, taking into account the diversity of types of school, and the desirability of matching the demands a particular school will place on its principal with the skills and personality needed to meet those demands.'' Mrs. Cannonier's comments come in the wake of the Northlands Secondary School row.

Last week Mrs. Carol Bassett was confirmed as head of the school -- despite a campaign by teachers, students and former pupils for acting principal Mr.

Warren Jones to get the post.

Her appointment was made in anticipation of the proposed conversion of Northlands to Dellwood Middle School in 1997.

The Education Ministry also announced other principalships, including that of Mrs. Charlotte Ming to St. George's Secondary, which is to become a middle school as well.

Yesterday Mrs. Cannonier said: "The Commission is of the opinion the public might be better informed if it outlined the long-standing process which is followed in the public service in order to make recommendations for appointments to public service posts.'' She pointed out a five-stage process: Advertisements in the Government Gazette setting out qualifications and experience needed for a post; After checking applications, the department head will normally interview those who meet requirements and draw up a short list; The department head will send to the Commission all applications, together with his or her list of recommended candidates; The Commission will then draw up its own short list, inviting some candidates to interview. It is not bound by the department head's choices; and The Commission then selects a candidate, and makes a recommendation to the Governor.

"The Commission is an independent body. In our system of Government, it is important that the process of selection of people to work for Government should be completely impartial and free of influence from outside sources.

"In accordance with generally accepted personnel policies, the Commission will not justify its decisions in public, because that would lead to it having to comment on the personal qualities of individuals who apply for jobs.

"In the case of recent appointments of school principals, the Commission will not comment on individual applicants.'' Mrs. Cannonier said it was widely known Bermuda's education system was undergoing change -- with the introduction of middle schools in 1997.

"The Ministry has advised the Commission that these middle schools present rather different challenges from the normal school in Bermuda, and require different characteristics and skills in a principal.'' Mrs. Cannonier referred to the appointments of Mrs. Bassett and Mrs. Charlotte Ming. Both women were "very experienced and were transferred from other schools''.

"Neither one of them, of course, was a candidate in this recent group of vacant principalships.'' On this occasion, 22 applications were received for four vacant posts -- and 15 were interviewed by the Chief Education Officer and Dr. Robinson.

"From this group, the Public Service Commission, after considering the Ministry' criteria for the vacant principal posts, interviewed five candidates, and was able to support the Permanent Secretary's recommendations in three of the posts filled.''