Clear improvements in all Bermuda's schools should be expected in three to five years, according to education expert Henry Johnson.

Dr. Johnson said that's how long it will take for the much-criticised education system to enjoy the true impact of the recommendations from the hard-hitting Hopkins Report.

The consultant executive officer declined to comment over the logic of this month's dismissal of Education Minister Randolph Horton, who was sacked by Premier Ewart Brown because he was not making progress quickly enough.

Asked about a timescale for improvement, the consultant executive officer told The Royal Gazette: "We don't know for sure quite honestly.

"Research suggests it takes between three and five years before any organisation that has challenges to show signs of improvement. We hope it will be more quickly than that.

"Just using Terra Nova data we are seeing some improvements in some schools. We would love to see that kind of success across the board, in every classroom and every school."

Despite the stated reason for Mr. Horton's dismissal, Dr. Johnson said he backed the progress made in the past year "without question".

He explained: "Those who study school systems and school building reform would know that these things take time; that they involve a lot of adjusting of the curriculum, of assessments of teaching, of leadership; and these are not things that occur in a short time frame.

"That's why I said three to five years when the interim board interviewed me and asked me how long it would take."

Asked about the stated explanation for Mr. Horton's dismissal, Dr. Johnson replied: "The people who are charged with making those decisions have to make those decisions.

"He (Mr. Horton) and I worked well together. I certainly would have liked to have seen people in place to help get stuff done, but I'm not attributing that to any single individual. I think the whole bureaucracy moves slower. In some places (overseas) I have seen it move more quickly. But I have also seen it move in the right places.

"A lot of it quite frankly is to do with obstacles that are placed in front of reform effort, internal or external."

The Premier denies that Mr. Horton was fired because he was reported to have been planning a Progressive Labour Party leadership coup. Mr. Horton also denies he was plotting a coup, while no leadership bid materialised at the PLP's Delegates' Conference last month.

Regarding Mr. Horton's replacement, Elvin James, Dr. Johnson said: "I don't know him well but he seems to be very committed to making sure that relationships with the unions improve. He's taking an analytical approach, collecting data.

"He clearly has a concern for making sure that the money is being spent wisely."

Mr. James is Bermuda's seventh Education Minister in ten years, with Dr. Johnson noting: "Continuity can be very good. Continuity implies that targets are being reached; that goals are being met; although you don't want continuity when things aren't going well.

"I would hope that serious concern for continuity is given."