Five students studying marine engineering overseas have flown home ? because their course was ?not quite ready?.

The Bermudians had already raised concerns about the new programme at a Barbados polytechnic, the Ministry of Education confirmed last night.

The five were enrolled on a marine diesel engineering programme at the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, Barbados, but have returned home and are now being offered places at other institutions.

Permanent Secretary Rosemary Tyrrell said: ?We investigated concerns of the students and agreed that the programme, a new one, was not quite ready.?

She added: ?It was decided, upon consultation with the parents, that if they wanted to return then they could. Arrangements have been made for the students to go elsewhere.?

The course was the latest to be offered to Bermuda students under an agreement between the National Training Board and the polytechnic.

The Ministry said the NTB continued to enjoy a ?fruitful relationship? with the polytechnic, which offers a range of programmes to Bermudian students.