system before some Bermudians.

Education Minister Jerome Dill admitted this on Friday in the House of Assembly.

He was responding to questions tabled by Opposition Leader Jennifer Smith.

"Non-Bermudian teachers who are on contract were placed before some Bermudian teachers,'' Mr. Dill said.

But he explained that the contract teachers were recruited to meet "specific needs of the system which could not be met by Bermudian staff''.

"The restructured system required some teachers with different skill sets from those used in the current system,'' he said. "All Bermudian teachers will be employed as promised.'' The Education Department, which declared all teaching posts vacant last year as part of its restructuring plans, promised that no Bermudian teacher would be without a job as a result of the changes.

And while senior manager of the Education Department's human resources Raymond Latter could not be reached for comment, he earlier this month told The Royal Gazette the department was "very close'' to having all Bermudian teachers placed in the system.

"We are in the single digits,'' he said of the number left to be placed.

Bermuda Union of Teachers organiser Sen. Milton Scott said the union was aware of "a lot of irregularities that have occurred in this placement process''.

But he said the union was determined to hold Government to its promise that no Bermudian teacher would be without a job in the new school year.