Berkeley Institute will admit new students this September in an effort to ease overcrowding at CedarBridge Academy.

Chairman of Berkeley's board of governors Calvin White yesterday revealed that the school had agreed to take additional students.

A decision on the number is expected in a couple of weeks when detailed design plans will be finalised.

Government has allocated some $6 million to start developing a senior secondary school for Berkeley.

Government is also still negotiating to buy the Ridgway property, on which the school is to be built, from Bermuda Electric Light Company Ltd.

The school's board of governors plan to build a state-of-the-art school on the 7.42-acre site across the street from the present school in order to allow construction without disrupting classes.

They had originally planned to have the development completed by December 15, 2000. Berkeley admitted its last class of first year students in September, 1996 in preparation for conversion to a senior secondary school.

But Mr. White later revealed that various events had transpired -- mainly CedarBridge's problems with overcrowding and other issues -- to make the board review the basis upon which the Berkeley design would proceed.

At the latest, Mr. White said he expected the senior school to be completed by September, 2003.

However, Education Minister Jerome Dill has insisted he does not expect the opening of the senior school to be delayed by three years.

Government was working towards having it fully operational no later than 2001, he said.

But, he told the House of Assembly this week, Government first had to ensure the site would accommodate the plan for Berkeley's senior school development and that the facility will be able to comfortably accommodate the number of students anticipated.

"When I say that I'm thinking of CedarBridge,'' Mr. Dill said, referring to the unanticipated enrolment of more than 1,100 students at a school built for 950. "It is important to keep in mind when we're talking about a number of individuals, that number is constantly changing.

"At CedarBridge there were an additional 250 students. Because this Government is focused on ensuring that all can benefit from the school system, we will do what we can to accommodate.'' Opposition Leader and Shadow Education Minister Jennifer Smith noted that money had also been allocated last year for Berkeley, but no work had started on the senior school.

"The board of governors ought to be congratulated for not allowing construction to start in light of what happened at CedarBridge,'' she added.

Yesterday, Mr. White said: "I'm optimistic. We have been grappling with the number of students the school was to ultimately house and what size footprint (facility) we will need to have that number of students.'' UNSPENT MONEY -- Jennifer Smith Graphic file name: JENO