learned.

A source close to Education Minister the Hon. Gerald Simons has revealed that more than $100,000 had been "found'' to keep the Bermuda Secondary School Certificate (BSSC) summer school and summer programmes for students with special needs.

"This has been the chief concern of the Minister and parents,'' the source said.

Cuts in teaching posts will also be less than the 25 proposed.

While the source did not know the number of posts that will be cut, he said: "It is no where near 25 teachers''.

Mr. Simons is expected to shed more light on this when the Ministry's operating budget for 1993/94 is debated in the House of Assembly on Monday.

He promised to make a "full report'' which will include a "solution'' to parents' concerns about proposed education cuts.

Parents are opposed to the $2.2 million proposed cuts which included 25 teaching posts, summer school programmes, and 50 percent of the Ministry's textbook budget.

According to his Ministry, there were enough textbooks in all schools.

A "major purchase'' was made in 1991/92 and there was sufficient funding for the replacement of textbooks.

National PTA president Mrs. Marian Askia said source's news was "wonderful''.

But, she said, parents yesterday received official permission to march to Parliament and they will be doing so.

"This is not just a march against cuts,'' Mrs. Askia said. "Children are being lost through the cracks of the current system.

"Parents are really afraid that with the length of time and method of restructuring a lot of these kids will be lost.

"This is an opportunity for parents to voice their concerns.'' Mrs. Askia said parents will no longer "sit back and wait for things to happen'', they were going to make things happen.

She also stressed that the National PTA was not asking parents to take off time from work to march, as suggested by Mr. Simons.

The march will begin at 5.40 p.m., Mrs. Askia said, after a brief meeting at City Hall at 5.15 p.m.

She also urged parents who have not yet submitted petition forms to take them to Peace Lutheran Church on South Road, Paget, between 10 to noon today.

Parents will present the petition to Mr. Simons at Parliament.

A summit to find out young people's views about Bermuda will be held, this month, at the National Stadium.

The summit, which will be televised on ZBM Channel 7 on March 19, was the brainchild of Bermuda Broadcasting Company deputy general manager Mr. Rick Richardson and Youth Minister Sen. Pam Gordon.

But Sen. Gordon has stressed that the event is not a political forum.

In fact, she said, she left the organisation of the summit completely up to Mr. Richardson and an outreach committee formed from a wide cross-section of the community.

Young people between the ages of 13 to 21 have been invited to take part in the summit.

But those under 16 will need parental permission to attend since 500 tickets to Shabba Ranks' March 26 concert will be offered as an incentive to get youngsters to participate.