Despite a "categorical rejection'' this week from the Dellwood Parent Teachers Association, Government vowed to press on with plans to make Northlands into an adequate primary school.

Education Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira said that although his Ministry was pleased with the input received from the PTA, Dellwood Primary was going to be a middle school in September 1997.

On that date Northlands will revert to a primary school and Government plans to spend some $500,000 during the summer of 1996, to make it ready.

Meanwhile they will spend between $7-$8 million to make Dellwood ready for students aged 12 to 14.

The Dellwood PTA is opposed to the move because it says the Northlands site is inherently unsuitable.

And it wants Government to consider another site.

Three members of Government team including Education Department facilities manager Mr. John Morbey met for two hours with the Dellwood restructuring committee -a sub-committee of the PTA on Wednesday. Chairperson of that committee Mrs. Mary Samuels, said that there was nothing new in Government's proposal to upgrade Northlands.

Mrs. Samuels said that Northlands was a poor site for a primary school, and that she commends the teachers for being able to work with it despite the problems.

"We want to continue negotiations to find an alternative site,'' she said.

"This is not just about the Dellwood family, it is something which will affect the entire Pembroke community in one way or another.

"It's Government's mandate to give us a primary school that is capable of meeting the needs of the 21st century.

"But this site can never be brought into the 21st century.'' Mrs. Samuels also criticised the Education Minister for his "dictatorial'' stance that Northlands would become a primary school while Dellwood become a middle school.

"He's a Government representative,'' she continued. "He is paid by us to represent our needs and to listen to our concerns.

"They have spoken about ways to remedy some of the inadequacies over at Northlands, but why haven't those things been done already?'' Mrs. Samuels said she would be informing the larger body that they had rejected Government's latest proposal, and that their next move would probably involve presenting their case to Pembroke MPs.

Dr. Terceira said that he would be making the final decision. He pointed out that a school was more than just a set of buildings and that such things as the quality of the teaching and the environment were also important.

He said that in the end his Ministry was committed to the most practical and reasonable solution, which was to make Northlands into a suitable primary school.

"We are short of space here in Bermuda,'' he pointed out. "We have asked for their (Dellwood PTA) input which is what I wanted. They have been very helpful but we will continue to have a look at the Northlands site.

"PTA's don't make the final decision,'' he said. "The buck stops here at my desk.''