With the focus on Bermuda's future, Government will invest close to $100 million in education this fiscal year.

The estimated expenditure of $97.4 million represents 18 percent of the budget And according to Finance Minister Grant Gibbons, it indicated Government's intention to complete major education reform and prepare the Island's young, and in some cases adult workers, for the 21st century.

When contacted yesterday Education Minister Jerome Dill, who took ill during last weekend while playing tennis with a friend, referred The Royal Gazette to Dr. Gibbons.

Mr. Dill was later yesterday seen leaving Bermuda with his wife on the Delta Air Lines flight to Boston.

He will reportedly undergo tests at a hospital there. But the testing is believed to be purely a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, Dr. Gibbons praised Government's attention to education.

"The majority of new spending is going toward education,'' he boasted.

"We're putting our money where our mouth is with the need to prepare students for the future.'' "We're spending a lot on the mainstreaming of special needs students,'' Dr.

Gibbons continued. "We want to look at the appropriate amount of spending for special students and spending for other education needs. We have to balance the ratio.

"We've taken a very proactive approach when it comes to putting money toward a worthwhile cause and this is one.'' More than $75 million has been set aside for the Education Ministry and the Bermuda College.

This will include funding for more staff, operational resources at the Island's first senior school, CedarBridge Academy; completion of Ruth Seaton James Hall at CedarBridge: upgrading of Berkeley Institute into a senior school; improvement of middle school facilities; and the running of the alternate school for disruptive students at Warwick Camp.

"Capital expenditure by the Government in 1998-99 will once again significantly support educational reform, a process that is key to Bermuda's future success in the global economy,'' Dr. Gibbons stated.

"CedarBridge Academy will be completed at a total cost of $72 million when work on the replacement for Ruth Seaton James Hall is finished at a cost of $6 million.'' Stressing the significance of CedarBridge in preparing young Bermudians for the future, Dr. Gibbons said a complex facility like CedarBridge required "appropriate staffing and operational resources''.

Therefore, he noted, $2.9 million in new funding was included in the budget.

And a further $880,000 was required for 16 new teachers at CedarBridge due to the unexpectedly high enrolment.

Dr. Gibbons earlier pointed out that $1.53 million of the current account expenditure for the year was required as an additional operating grant for CedarBridge to provide overtime for teachers in preparation for the opening of the school, additional teachers and counsellors to support the increased enrolment, and other operating expenses.

Regarding security and discipline problems in schools, he said: "Government spent $215,000 on a schools security programme, and by the end of the financial year will have spent $80,000 to staff the alternate school.

A further $432,000 was added this year to the Education Ministry's budget for the "safety and security of teachers and pupils''. And $350,000 was added to support the operation of the alternate school for a year.

Focusing on the mainstreaming of special students, Dr. Gibbons said the inclusion programme for special needs students required $800,000 to provide a further 32 staff last year. This brought the total annual cost of the special-needs programme to $8.9 million in 1997/98 -- the same as the total operating cost of CedarBridge for 1998/99.

Government has estimated that another $7.06 million will be required for the mainstreaming programme this year.

"In view of the rapidly escalating resources to support this programme, a special study is being undertaken by Management Services to ensure its cost-efficiency delivery,'' Dr. Gibbons said.

Government also planned to complete work on the development of middle schools by converting and adding to existing school plants at a cost of $8.4 million, he added.

Another $1.9 million will be spent on computers and other school equipment with a further $500,000 on Educational Planning Team-related engineering work.

Some $706,000 has also been set aside for the National Training Board in the Ministry of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety.

And the college will receive some $10 million.

With such a large amount invested in education, Dr. Gibbons said Government had to be certain that the resources were managed productively.

"The recent audit of the Department of Education highlighted a number of opportunities to improve the delivery of education,'' he said. "This year, the Department of Management Services will assist the Ministry of Education in improving efficiencies.'' CedarBridge principal Ernest Payette could not be reached for comment.

And neither Shadow Education Minister Jennifer Smith, National PTA president Anthony Steede, nor the Bermuda Union of Teachers were prepared to comment on the budget yesterday.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SPENDING CHART HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY HOA