The Education Ministry has received the final report of an unprecedented audit on Bermuda's public school system.

Associate professor of educational administration at Iowa State University William Poston -- who headed the audit -- yesterday told The Royal Gazette he sent the $45,000 report to Education Permanent Secretary Marion Robinson last week.

"They should have received it by (last) Thursday or Friday,'' he said of the report which includes some 25 findings and 15 recommendations.

The Education Ministry sent a final draft of the report to Mr. Poston in January.

At that time he said it did not contain "any major surprises''.

And yesterday Mr. Poston added he and his team -- who have audited school systems with student populations ranging from 400 to 200,000 -- felt "good about the final product''.

However, he admitted it was not easy.

"It was a Herculean task, probably one of the most complex and longest reports I have worked on because the Ministry wanted us to look into the specifics of several things,'' Mr. Poston said.

While declining to comment on details of the report until it was made public, Mr. Poston noted: "I would put the Bermuda system in the top third of school districts. Obviously, it has its troubles like any organisation. There are pockets of excellence and areas where there is a need for improvement. But it certainly has the best interest of the students at heart.

"There's a sense of new vision about the future which is encouraging. They admit they have some needs and concerns and are willing to address them.'' Mr. Poston also pointed out the Ministry could immediately implement some aspects of the report's recommendations -- such as administrative restructuring -- if it desired.

But he said other suggestions, particularly in the area of curriculum, will probably require a five- to eight-year commitment.

Education Minister Jerome Dill was preoccupied with other education issues such as school security when contacted yesterday.

"It is not in my hands at this stage,'' he said about the final copy of the audit report. "Once I see it, I will review it and get it out there.''