A mother has spoken of her horror after finding out she may have to share a classroom at Bermuda College with the woman convicted of killing her baby son.

Roshea Young Lewis told The Royal Gazette she was ill for three days when she realised Sharina Anne Tuzo, who is serving a six year jail sentence for the manslaughter of her five-month-old son Saed, was enrolled on the same nursing course at the College.

Tuzo, who was looking after Saed, her godson, for ten days before his death, was jailed in 1999 for manslaughter.

She was convicted after a Supreme Court jury accepted she did nothing to protect the child, even though she knew her brutal boyfriend Jermaine Pearman had been attacking the infant, including biting him and fracturing his skull in 1997. Pearman pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was jailed for 12 years.

Tuzo is taking the nursing course because she wants to become a paediatrician, working with children.

Ms Lewis discovered last month that Tuzo has enrolled in the same associate science degree, and she was overcome with emotion when she saw her at an orientation meeting.

She is furious that Tuzo - who is still serving her sentence - has not been removed from the course and that Government is paying for her education.

The College said yesterday that it will keep the women apart during their general education classes, which should last for a year.

But Ms Lewis, who said the College told her it cannot guarantee they will be in separate classes throughout the course, is so disgusted she is considering going overseas to study.

"They are paying for her education yet I am paying for mine. There is no justice," she told The Royal Gazette yesterday.

"If you are going to murder someone, come to Bermuda and you'll get a free education because the system is more interested in offenders than victims, or victims' families.

"I'm not knocking her getting an education, but why should she have to be there when I am there?

"Why can't she take a backseat until I am finished? I shouldn't have to stop to let her get an education, that's very unfair.

"I've been accommodating her for five years since Saed was killed, even though I haven't seen her, so why should I keep on accommodating her? Everyone is trying to accommodate her and it seems everyone has sympathy for her.

"I don't know whether I will take the course in Bermuda. The whole thing has left such a stink in my mouth that I am thinking about doing the whole thing abroad."

The course starts next Monday - five years to the day when Tuzo and Pearman, who were supposed to be looking after Saed, returned the infant's comatose body to Ms Lewis. The child died three days later.

The College offered to hold a meeting between Ms Lewis and Tuzo to see how they would react before the course began, but it has not taken place.

The College said yesterday: "It is unfortunate that circumstances have turned out in this manner for both young women, both of whom have identified nursing as a goal.

"We are aware of the circumstances involved and recognise and sympathise with the sensitivities of the issue. We intend to make the Bermuda College experience as enjoyable as possible for all of our students, and are committed to their success.

"Academic administrators, advisors and counsellors have already been apprised, and discussions have taken place to ensure they will not be enrolled in the same general education courses. In addition, the College is satisfied that ongoing counselling support outside the institution has been offered to both.

"As Bermuda's only public institution of higher learning, we recognise our responsibility to provide higher education to everyone desirous of achieving it.

"Specifically, as a college that is dedicated to responding to the needs of its very diverse community, we cannot and will not deny that opportunity to anyone."

Describing how she felt when she spotted Tuzo at the college during the orientation meeting, Ms Lewis said: "I broke down on myself when I found out. I felt sick as a dog and nauseous.

"For three days I was sick because it brought back memories. August 26 (when the course starts) will be five years to the day I picked up my baby from Tuzo in a comatose state.

"I told them at the college that that girl killed my son, you've got to keep her away from me. I would have to restrain myself.

"I called (Home Affairs Minister) Terry Lister about two weeks ago and he said he would get the Prisons Commissioner (John Prescod) to call me, but I haven't heard anything.

"The college said they had never dealt with a situation like this before and they would try not to put us in the same classes, but we'll be in a few classes together. They've said they can't make her not come.

"I had a meeting with the college and they kept asking me over and over again whether this was the right time for me (to do the course). I definitely got the impression they were trying to deter, which is not fair."

Mr. Lister said yesterday that Government was paying for Tuzo's tuition because of its commitment to rehabilitating offenders.

"We are