The new senior secondary school, will not be open to students until September, 2005, Education Minister Terry Lister revealed yesterday.

Works Minister Ashfield DeVent announced last month that construction of the school would not be completed until the end of September, 2004 ? a year behind schedule ? and Mr. Lister said it had been decided not to open the school until the beginning of the next school year.

Michelle Gabisi, the principal of Berkeley Institute, will cease her regular duties in January, 2005 to help provide a smooth transition to the new school location, Mr. Lister told the House of Assembly yesterday.

?Her team will work closely with the BUT (Bermuda Union of Teachers), the Senior School Review Team and her own handpicked committee to manage this process in collaboration with the relevant technical advisors from the Ministry,? he said.

Mr. Lister told the House: ?There has been considerable consultation, dialogue and discussion between the Board of Governors of the Berkeley Institute, the Ministry of Education and Development and the Ministry of Works and Engineering and Housing once it was realised that the construction at the new senior school would not be completed until the end of September, 2004.

?The new opening date of September 2005 was agreed upon after an extensive process of further consultation based on the effect of the delay on my Ministry?s plans to manage the transition of students, staff and equipment to the new facility.?

Mr. Lister said: ?We are working on an arrangement that will best govern the requirements of the new heads of department for the senior school as well as the increases in staff needed in other areas of the school.

?While we have not finalised exactly how many staff will be required, we are preparing to advertise the positions in a timely manner so that once the exact number is known, we can move swiftly to get persons hired and have their terms referenced, job descriptions and duties spelled out in consultation with the Bermuda Union of Teachers.?