Bermuda College enrolment has dropped by just over 50 full-time students, statistics have revealed.

The College admitted 628 students, compared to 659 in the previous academic year.

But the number is set to hit almost 700 when 70 students start the new technical apprenticeship programme. And the number of part-time students has also increased -- by three percent to 1,297 students.

A College spokeswoman said: "There has been a major increase in enrolments in credit courses that assist working adults in their professional development.'' The figures appear to blow claims by College insiders -- who predicted numbers this year would be well down -- out of the water.

According to a leaked memo in September, only 214 students for first year and 114 for second year had signed up -- although College officials said final figures could not be tallied until the end of that month.

The spokeswoman said: "A total of 328 freshmen students enrolled and the number of students enrolled in Associate Degree and Technical Education Programmes has increased.'' And the proportion of male students -- a priority for College vice-president Donald Peters -- has also risen, from 29 percent last year to 36 percent this year.

Of the student body for the current year, half are signed up in hotel and business courses. A total of 34 percent are enrolled in the arts and sciences, while 11 percent opted for courses in applied science and technology. The College Discovery Programme accounts for five percent of enrolment.

The spokeswoman added: "A decrease in the number of students enrolled in the College's certificate programmes is explained by the fact that more students are enrolling in the Associate Degree programmes.