A dispute between education officials and teachers has put Government's senior school reform plans in jeopardy.

The Royal Gazette understands the Education Ministry was last month forced to cancel staff development for senior personnel of the new senior secondary school at Prospect.

And the future for applicants to top posts at Cedarbridge Academy is in limbo.

Education officials and the Bermuda Union of Teachers are expected to meet next week to sort out a grievance which the union has filed against Education Permanent Secretary Marion Robinson and Chief Education Officer Joseph Christopher concerning new hiring practices.

The BUT has called for a standardised test and personality profile -- from Personnel Services -- to be removed from the application process for new deputy principal posts and other top posts in the reformed school system.

It filed the grievance -- following complaints from Northlands Secondary deputy principal Randolph Benjamin who applied for a deputy post -- on the grounds that Dr. Robinson and Dr. Christopher had allegedly breached the terms and conditions of teachers' employment in the collective agreement.

Education officials last month agreed to go to arbitration.

But when contacted this week Dr. Robinson confirmed the dispute had already caused delays.

"We're doing what we can, but we are very concerned about the delay. We're also concerned about the position of the applicants, some of whom have called to ask about their applications,'' she said.

Noting the success of Cedarbridge was paramount to the education reforms, she said: "The plan for Cedarbridge Academy is most in jeopardy because there is no staff yet. It is just starting. There are things that can be done, but they are not being done speedily. With respect to middle schools we're going to try to do more training. But we cannot do this for the senior school.'' Last month, the Ministry was scheduled to hold a staff development workshop with visiting American middle school expert Dr. Paul George for top middle school staff. But because candidates for head posts in various departments has not yet been announced, all applicants had to be included in the workshop.

Dr. Robinson said: "Middle school staff development was put at risk, but we were very grateful that Dr. George and his staff were able to accommodate all applicants.

"But we have had to cancel the plans for staff development for senior personnel. We are looking to see how we can compensate for that. Because of the delays we're going to have to rely even more on those persons who are eventually appointed.'' Dr. Robinson noted Cedarbridge's Canadian principal, Ernest Payette, was on a three-year contract.

"That may or may not be extended,'' she pointed out, "so having a pool of people available now is important.'' She pointed out one of the deputy principals was expected to eventually take over the leadership of the senior school.

"Part of Mr. Payette's mandate is to mentor aspiring administrators,'' Dr.

Robinson noted. "He did it not only in his own school, but also in his school board.

"We should use these (deputy principal) posts as an investment in the future, not only as far as Cedarbridge, but other schools as well.'' Mr. Benjamin, she pointed out, did not have a university degree.

"He has a four-year teacher training certificate in physical education from England,'' Dr. Robinson said. "Such a programme was strong in subject content and gave students three years of teaching experience. But in terms of academic qualifications, he does not have them.'' Responding to accusations from Mr. Benjamin and the BUT that education officers did not have to take tests when hired, she said: "We just filled two education officer posts and they did the test. And we filled an administrative assistant post, and a relevant test was taken. Principals have in recent years undergone some form of assessment in addition to the interview.'' She also pointed out the Department of Personnel Services was looking at establishing an assessment centre for all senior civil service posts.

Noting she was surprised and disappointed by the BUT's decision to file the grievance, Dr. Robinson said: "We're focussing on moving ahead insofar as we are able. We have to concentrate on making sure we are ready as much as possible by September, 1997.'' No one from the BUT could be reached for comment. But Mr. Benjamin stood by his grievance with the Ministry.

He confirmed he did not have a university degree. But he pointed out that when he trained, physical education was not a degree-requiring area.

And he added: "I know that I can compare with anybody who has academic qualifications such as a Master's degree. Academic qualification does not always mean that a person is qualified to do the job.'' Row a spanner in the schools works From Page 1 "I've seen people with double Master's degrees and it does not make a person good in what they do. I may not have a Master's degree, but I know I am a master at what I do.'' Mr. Benjamin said it was strange education officials had not mentioned his academic qualifications before.

And the 53-year-old veteran teacher said he did not believe he should accept any salary below that of a deputy principal.

"I've heard that with restructuring, they are looking to put younger persons into top posts to carry on into the 21st century,'' Mr. Benjamin added.

"If they want younger people for this post, they should say to people my age -- like they did when they restructured the education system in the Britain -- we can give you mandatory early retirement with full benefits.'' However, Mr. Benjamin was not prepared to say whether or not he would take early retirement, if offered.

He said he was waiting to see the outcome of arbitration between the Ministry and the BUT.

However, National PTA president Anthony Steede accused Mr. Benjamin of holding children's future hostage.

Calling Mr. Benjamin's complaint a "non-issue'', he added: "They had 17 people who applied and 16 took the test. And as a consequence of one person's actions it has basically put things back two months.

"If you're secure about yourself and your abilities, you should have no problem taking a test. One person is holding our children's future hostage because of his ego.'' Mr. Steede said he and the National PTA were particularly concerned about the delay.

The matter is expected to be discussed at an executive meeting tomorrow.

"I personally don't want to see anything that is going to hamper the progress that has been made,'' Mr. Steede stressed. "This should not be a political football. We're talking about our children's education.''