Education Minister Terry Lister has defended his decision to cut an entry level class at St. George's Prep, saying yesterday that schools across the Island were routinely oversubscribed and it was up to his Ministry to ensure enough spaces for students over the long term.

He said he was trying to avoid overcrowding at the higher levels of the popular school, and that the Ministry had rejected alternative proposals put forward by parents because they did not take into account long term needs.

Mr. Lister reported that all but four of the 29 parents whose children had been denied places at the popular East End school had agreed to go elsewhere.

"I'm very pleased to see that parents have taken a real interest in what's happening with their children's future. I'm very pleased to see that they have gone out and fully explored other schools and they found favour," Mr. Lister said.

That statement was flatly denied by parent Nick Duffy who has been spearheading opposition to the Minister's decision.

"It's a blatant misrepresentation of the information ? to suggest that there are only four parents left," Mr. Duffy said.

"Late last month, after reviewing the enrolment data for the eastern end schools, Ministry officials met with the Trustees and set out the rationale for deciding the maximum enrolment of 18 students for the school's Primary 1 level for the upcoming school year," the Minister said.

"The motivating factor behind that decision was to ensure that the Bermuda public school system could accommodate all students who apply over the long term, with a minimum of disruption of students' education.

"If this was not managed properly, then students would encounter problems as they reach the higher primary levels at some schools when larger enrolments may cause the need for additional construction or the forced transfer to other schools. This does not serve our students."

He said the Ministry analysed the numbers and decided to increase the maximum enrolment to 18 students per class to accommodate the 216 students who applied for the six schools in the zone.

Mr. Lister said that 47 applicants had chosen St. George's Prep as their first choice, which left 29 to be sent onto their second choices.

"As of today, of these 29, 14 have been accepted at East End Primary, two at St. David's Primary, two at Harrington Sound Primary, two at Francis Patton Primary, one at Elliott Primary, four have elected private school and four remain undecided."

East End Primary still had four spaces left open, he noted.

"It is near to St. George's Preparatory and will not require parents to have their little ones travel across the bridge. Instead they will be able to attend school within the St. George's community."

But the Minister also pointed out that ten of the 29 applicants had indicated Harrington Sound as their second choice, which was much farther away and would have involved crossing the Causeway.

"I can't feel all that guilty about it if ten wanted to go and five are," the Minister said.

And he cautioned that East End Primary's four empty spaces could not be guaranteed because there may be eligible late applicants.

Mr. Duffy told that 26 appeal documents were delivered to lawyers Wakefield Quinn.

"What Minister Lister is doing is he is totally misrepresenting the information.

"When the rejection letters were sent out, simultaneously the letters of acceptance of second choice were also sent out."

He said Government had agreed in writing that the parents' second choice acceptance were without prejudice to their pending appeal.

Parents had been told to accept the second choice by March 15, but had only received news that St. George's Prep would lose a classroom on March 3.

"It is impossible to launch an appeal within 12 days. I went to the Ministry of Education and I asked them for a letter that says if we accept our second choice that this will in no way preclude us from subsequently accepting our first choice pending the results of the appeal. The fact that people are accepting their second choice is because they have no choice," Mr. Duffy continued.

"It's not an issue of four parents, it's an issue of 26 parents out of 26." He said three parents had decided to opt out of the public school system altogether and enrol their children in private school.

"That in itself is a very depressing situation ? that parents who had committed to the public school system are now being deprived of it and going to the private school system.

"The one's who are unable to apply to a private school are left with no choice whatsoever."

The parents have vowed to take their case to court should the appeal fail and lawyers Mark Pettingill and Richard Horsman have agreed to represent them on a pro bono basis.