Speculation is mounting that businessman Mark Byrne has resigned as chairman of the Board of Education.

A highly placed source told The Royal Gazette that the board was told at a meeting last week that the Flagstone Re boss had stepped down as chairman but would remain a member. The claim could not be confirmed yesterday.

The source said PricewaterhouseCoopers Bermuda managing partner Darren Johnston had been asked to head up the committee which is tasked with overhauling the failing public education system but had not yet accepted the offer.

Mr. Byrne is off the Island and could not be contacted yesterday. Mr. Johnston said: "I am not able to comment at this time."

Education Minister El James did not return calls or respond to e-mails last night and nor did a Ministry spokesman. Education commissioner Wendy McDonell told this newspaper she was not aware that Mr. Byrne had resigned.

The source said: "The board was told that he was resigning as chair but would still be on the board and Vince Ingham would remain as deputy chair. Darren Johnston was asked [to be chairman] but he didn't give a decision."

The source said Mr. Byrne was not at the meeting. "I know he's very busy so I think the resignation had a lot to do with that and to do with him trying to get things done, but it takes time.

"I think maybe, really, he was kind of having a little problem with that. Things are not just 'snap your fingers and they get done'.

"He got a lot done and he got the ball rolling but it's a process. Everything is not like the corporate world, where you own your own company. He did a lot. He was leading. For him, maybe it was just a time thing."

Mr. Ingham told this newspaper he remained deputy chairman but he would not comment on whether Mr. Byrne had resigned.

The Belco president and CEO said: "I think it's important for Mark to speak on his own behalf or the Minister to speak in terms of who is going to be chairman of the board. It's the purview of the Minister to appoint the board."

Mr. Byrne's appointment as chairman of the Board of Education came into effect on September 1 last year, according to an announcement in the Official Gazette, though it was not made public until March this year.

Mr. Ingham said the board, driven by Mr. Byrne, had since made a number of decisions, including to introduce the Cambridge International Curriculum into public schools.

"It's been his energy, his drive, that has ensured this movement to an international curriculum," said Mr. Ingham. "Many have participated in the conversations regarding that curriculum.

"This is only part of the journey and believe that we continue to have a board that's energised, that's motivated to move to some next steps in this process in terms of implementation of the curriculum and ensuring that the curriculum does get delivered."

The deputy chairman added "As with all boards, we have many times had what I would describe as strong discussion. That may be somewhere in the backdrop there but it's up to Mark to speak on his own behalf. We have a board that's intact and motivated to move this thing forward."

Mr. Byrne said in March that his appointment was initially for a year but that he hoped to serve for longer for the sake of continuity, after two education boards were disbanded in the space of two years.

"What I hope is that in five years from now, El James is still our Minister and I'm still doing this," he told this newspaper.