A rift between teachers and education officials over hiring practices is expected to widen with announcements of new senior posts tomorrow.

The Royal Gazette understands the Education Department will release the names of deputy principals for Cedarbridge Academy and The Berkeley Institute.

But the Bermuda Union Teachers has vowed to prevent this, by taking the matter to the head of the Public Service Commission and the labour minister.

The union has called on the Department to delay the appointments to senior posts within senior and middle schools because of a new testing policy.

The ministry -- which earlier this year declared all teaching posts in high schools vacant to create new posts for two senior secondary schools and five middle schools -- introduced a standardised test after 17 people applied for three deputy principal posts.

One part of the test dealt with the applicant's occupational profile while the other dealt with aptitude.

The ministry explained that the test -- from the Personnel Services Department -- was the only way it could short-list the applicants and ensure that the best people for the jobs were hired.

But BUT organiser Milton Scott said teachers -- including Northlands deputy principal Randolph Benjamin -- have objected to the tests because they viewed it as a process to eliminate certain teachers and they were only given two days' notice and no time to prepare for it.

Teachers also questioned why principals and education officers were not tested.

The BUT has called for the test to be scrapped, filed a grievance against education officials, and sought to have the matter go to arbitration.

But education officials have refused to comply with the BUT's requests.

And Labour Relations Officer Glenn Fubler has informed the union the dispute falls under the scope of the Public Service Commission.

Sen. Scott said he will today ask the head of the Public Service Commission Jeannette Cannonier to stop Permanent Secretary Marion Robinson from going ahead with tomorrow's announcement.

"We hope that common sense will prevail,'' he said, adding that it would be "totally irresponsible'' for the Education Department to announce appointments to the new post before the grievance procedure was complete.

Mr. Scott said he also hoped that Labour Minister Quinton Edness would "not run from his responsibility'' and will instruct the department to honour the grievance procedure.

But when contacted last night, Mr. Edness said he did not know if his ministry would get involved in the dispute.

"I've been following it with interest,'' he added. "I will have to analyse his complaint whatever it is.''