Dame Jennifer Smith returned to Cabinet for the first time since resigning as Premier seven years ago declaring: "It's time to put my money where my mouth is."

The Progressive Labour Party's first ever Premier revealed Paula Cox had been tapping her up for some time over the Education portfolio dubbed a poisoned chalice by many.

Dame Jennifer says she had avoided answering the question, before finally deciding to put her long-held Speaker ambitions on the back burner when Ms Cox stormed to victory at last Thursday's election.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge. I felt an obligation to the Premier and to the children of this country," she told The Royal Gazette shortly after getting the loudest cheer of the day as her name was called out at Government House's swearing in ceremony.

"I always have ideas about education. Premier Cox required me to put my money where my mouth is. I feel I have to do it. I feel I can.

"At the very least I should be able to get into the Ministry and see what's where and then ask what changes need to be made."

The former Premier, who held the Education portfolio for four months in 1998/99, had been considered a complete outsider for a role in Cabinet because of her well-known intention to succeed Stanley Lowe as Speaker of the House of Assembly.

She had to resign as Deputy Speaker yesterday to take the Education post, but said becoming Speaker remains her personal goal.

Ms Cox said: "I was humbled by the sacrifices that people are prepared to make. She was the Deputy Speaker and could once again have made history as our first woman Speaker once the Honourable Stanley Lowe decides he wants to retire.

"She has taken herself out of that because she is prepared to do service. She has been someone who has always put education and young people and their development as a top priority."

Ms Cox said of deposed Minister El James: "The worst thing about this job is that you can't have everybody in Cabinet."

Mr. James had little to say yesterday about being deposed from Cabinet.

"I'm all right, you know," he said. "I don't want to take any of the glory away from the new Cabinet. I'm happy doing what I have to do."

Dame Jennifer was the PLP's first Education Minister, keeping the portfolio she had held in the Shadow Cabinet after becoming Premier in November 1998.

By the following March, she had given the job to Senator Milton Scott, who held it until Ms Cox took over at the end of 2001.

Ms Cox passed the baton to Terry Lister in January 2004, who was replaced by Neletha Butterfield in September 2006.

Ms Butterfield held the post for eight weeks before then Premier Ewart Brown appointed Randy Horton to the job. Mr. Horton was replaced by Mr. James in November 2008.

Mr. James briefly left the post in July 2009 and Kim Wilson was Acting Education Minister until his return to Cabinet a month later.

If Mr. James is considered to have served twice, Dame Jennifer becomes the ninth Education Minister in 12 years of PLP Government.

Shadow Education Minister Grant Gibbons said Dame Jennifer's return to the role "brings us full circle, back to the promise she made so long ago".

"She did not meet hopes and expectations then, but we hope the years since have given her better insight into managing the challenge."

He said he looked forward to working with her to reform public schools.

"The portfolio has been tossed from one Minister to the next like a hot potato; with each new appointment signalling chronic failure to take responsibility and get the job done.

"Bermuda needs an Education Minister who is prepared to be accountable, who is ready to push through reforms that will finally equip our students to succeed."