Berkeley Institute's future as a senior secondary school rests with the Education Ministry, the chairman of the school's board has charged.

Calvin White -- who on Monday night revealed that a new facility may not be completed until September, 2003 -- told The Royal Gazette this week that much of the design work had been completed.

"Right now we're waiting for the Ministry of Education to give us guidance on what they expect the plant to provide,'' he added. "There's no sense in releasing it (the school design) until we know what we can do.'' Berkeley's board of governors plans to build its senior school on a 7.42-acre site across the street from the school, on the Ridgeway property.

In September, Mr. White explained that this would allow construction to take place without disrupting classes at the existing school which stopped admitting first-year students after September, 1996 to prepare for its role as one of the Island's two senior secondary schools.

At the time, he said he expected construction to begin by October 15 next year and the new school to be completed by December 15, 2000.

But on Monday, Mr. White told the Berkeley Educational Society's general meeting that various events had transpired to make that date unattainable.

The most significant of such developments was the knowledge gained from operations at CedarBridge Academy since its opening.

"Experience at CedarBridge has dictated a revision of the assumptions upon which the Berkeley design was predicated,'' Mr. White said.

The board felt that to continue to proceed at the current pace of development without factoring in the knowledge gained from the CedarBridge experience "would be reckless'', he added.

As a result, the plans were being reviewed with the Ministries of Works and Education, meaning that completion of the school would be delayed until September, 2003.

Mr. White said the impact of the delay on the school and its ability to function as a senior school in September, 1999 was the subject of ongoing discussion with the Education Ministry.

In an interview, he added: "It is still our intention to admit students in September, 1999. But we need to work with the Education Ministry.

"Meetings are going on on a continuous basis. I'm hoping that we will be able to come up with some revisions to our overall plans in the next couple of weeks.

"We have to determine what we will need to deliver the curriculum that we have promised.'' Mr. White said he also hoped that funds for Berkeley's plans will be provided in Government's Budget next year.

When contacted yesterday, Education Minister Jerome Dill said he preferred to speak directly with Mr. White before commenting.