Education minister Wayne Scott said yesterday he hoped to see a “plan etched in stone” that would see a Bermudian take the role of education commissioner.

His comments came after a news report on ZBM on Tuesday evening revealed non-Bermudian, Dubai-based educator Paul Wagstaff had been recommended for the job.

Mr Scott said it was the first time he had heard the name.

While the minister explained he had never been involved in the hiring process for the position, he had made his position on the matter very clear.

The Board of Education makes a recommendation on the appointment of a commissioner which is then considered by the Public Service Commission.

Mr Wagstaff, who was said in the report to have confirmed he had been recommended but that no contract had been signed, has a history of school improvement and advisory services in the UK including on the Curriculum Division of Ofsted — the UK’s education standards watchdog.

But of utmost importance, Mr Scott said, was that even if an overseas candidate had to be initially appointed due to a lack of a homegrown skills set, he would hope that a Bermudian would be trained up to eventually take the position.

Mr Scott told The Royal Gazette: “My position has been very clear all along — I think that the position of education commissioner is a position that should be Bermudianised.

“I have also said that if there is a compelling argument for a skill set that exists outside of what we currently have — like if we need to modify the education system — I would like to see, etched in stone, a development plan in place ahead of time for the training of one of our local people.

“What many of us have seen in the past is when non-Bermudians are brought in to do a job, the training of Bermudians doesn’t then adequately take place.”

Speaking of the TV news report that Mr Wagstaff had been recommended, Mr Scott added: “I listened to the evening news with interest because yesterday was the first I had heard that information. I have stayed out of the process even though my position has been made clear — that I would want to see a development plan in place ahead of time as much as I can influence that.”

Acting education commissioner Dr Freddie Evans also said it was the first time he had heard of the recommendation, adding that he did not know how far into the hiring process the board was.

Mr Wagstaff was responsible for leading “major evaluations of government initiatives including a major review of the teaching and reading” according to Ruskin Education where he is currently chairman.

His biography adds: “Paul was appointed the national director of the Primary National Strategy in 2006 and led a major revision of the UK’s National Literacy and Numeracy strategies, a major initiative aiming to raising standards in state primary schools across the UK.

“Paul moved to CfBT in 2011 to help establish a new regional structure and successful strategy for growth in the role of regional director before moving into his current role at Ruskin Education LLC.”

On the appointment of education minister Wayne Scott in January, 2015, Premier Michael Dunkley said the appointment of a permanent secretary and an education commissioner was “imminent”.

Valerie Robinson-James was made permanent secretary the following month but the commissioner’s seat remained empty.

The hiring was said to have been delayed as no agreement could be made with the leading candidate on the “economic terms of the appointment”.

The previous commissioner, Edmond Heatley, had a short tenure. He took up the role in August, 2013 and resigned after eight months.