The Ministry of Education has had to scale back on plans to appoint assistant directors to oversee each of the new "clusters" of public schools, The Royal Gazette understands.

Four $110,000+-a-year posts were advertised yesterday, but sources say the original plan was to appoint an assistant director for each of the six clusters of schools. Budget cuts ordered by the Ministry of Finance are said to be the reason for the additional jobs being shelved.

Government announced its plan to create clusters of schools across the Island last year, to criticism from some of those who would be affected.

The idea was to create five families of schools, each consisting of a middle school, their feeder primary schools and pre-schools. A sixth cluster was to link the two secondary schools and The Education Centre.

Each cluster was to have its own "cluster board" or governing body – a proposal which caused considerable controversy at those aided schools which already have their own autonomous board.

The Berkeley Institute made representations to the Island's Interim Education Board, which is implementing the reform recommended in the 2007 Hopkins report, to keep its own board of governors. It was told it could do so in November.

Three assistant director posts for middle and primary school clusters are now being advertised, plus a vacancy for an assistant director to manage the senior schools and technical/vocational programme. The latter advert makes no mention of the senior schools being joined together in a cluster.

Sources told this newspaper the Ministry had gone "very quiet" on the idea of appointing cluster boards. Instead, the schools have grouped into informal clusters and some are meeting on a monthly basis to share best practice and develop curriculum consistency.

The assistant directors are expected to be based in schools rather than at Ministry headquarters, with each one having hands-on responsibility for their particular "cluster".

They will work under Wendy McDonell, who was appointed director of educational standards and accountability in October. Yesterday's advert said the postholders would manage the operations of their schools, ensuring that principals are being efficient and effective.

The Ministry is also advertising for two other assistant directors: in curriculum and assessment and early childhood education. The closing date for applications for all the jobs is February 11.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education's communications consultant Scott Simmons has not had his $90,000-a-year contract extended.

He was hired in mid-2007 to work alongside dedicated Ministry communications officer Carla Zuill and Department of Communications and Information officer Magnus Henagulph, amid claims from the Opposition that the Ministry was overspending on its media team.

It was confirmed yesterday that he will be leaving the Ministry and the majority of press inquiries will be handled by Mr. Henagulph, with Ms Zuill dealing mainly with internal communications.

The Ministry did not answer questions about the clusters plan yesterday.