"remains committed'' to education reform.

He was responding to concerns expressed earlier this week by parents through National PTA president Mr. Ross Smith. See Editorial, Page 4 .

Mr. Smith told The Royal Gazette parents did not trust Government's education reform plans.

"The base of their concern was a disbelief that there is a burning desire in the Department of Education to produce meaningful restructuring,'' he said after three National PTA meetings.

Parents' had concerns ranging from mainstreaming to drugs to the proposed code of conduct.

Mr. Smith said the National PTA will meet early next month to map out its next plan of action.

But Dr. Terceira, in a statement in the House of Assembly on Friday, said he wanted "to assure parents throughout Bermuda that their concerns are being listened to and addressed'' by the Ministry.

Dr. Terceira said the Ministry demonstrated its commitment when it sent a brochure to 27,000 households setting out the major components of restructuring and the timetable to be followed.

"In my view, this brochure provided Bermudians with a clear update on restructuring. It also establishes a process of communication that this Ministry intends to follow as it moves deeper into its plans for change.'' Noting Government had committed some $118 million over the next three years for the construction of the new senior secondary school at Prospect and for renovations to The Berkeley Institute, he said this represented Government's confidence in the quality and potential for improvement in Bermuda's schools.

Detailed drawings for the major construction projects were underway and will be shared with schools as soon as they became available.

Dr. Terceira said his Ministry wanted to include Roger B. Chaffee School as a middle school in the new school system as soon as the Base takeover was complete.

Turning to concerns about the senior secondary school at Prospect, Dr.

Terceira stressed that the building was being designed "to facilitate effective supervision''.

On the issue of a new curriculum, Dr. Terceira said it was being developed by teachers under his Ministry's guidance and was aimed at giving every child a chance at success.

Responding to parents' other concerns, Dr. Terceira said: Half a million dollars had been allocated for professional development of principal and teachers, including preparation for middle school programmes; The maximum pupil/teacher ratio was 15 to one in primary schools and 11 to one in high schools.