The new female head of Government's Board of Education plans to address growing violence in local schools by helping the "kids who want to learn''.

Mrs. Kim Young replaces lawyer Mr. Trevor Moniz MP as chairperson of the schools advisory board. She was one of a record 199 women named to Government advisory boards yesterday.

In other leadership changeovers, the Hon. Charles TM Collis was named chairman of the Telecommunications Commission, replacing the late Hon. John Stubbs. And hotelier and Government MP Mr. David Dodwell replaced longtime head of the Tourism Board Mr. Kirk Cooper.

A top National Trust official was also given a seat on the Tourism Board.

Trust director Mrs. Amanda Outerbridge said yesterday she was not sure whether she had been appointed because of her Trust membership, but if she was, "It would be an interesting perspective because it would mean a lot where cultural and heritage tourism are concerned.'' Mrs. Young, the former head of the Women's Advisory Council, said yesterday she viewed her new job as a challenge as well as an opportunity to be a "conduit'' between the public and Government.

"Right now there is a feeling of concern about violence in the classroom,'' she said. "One thing I'd like to try and tackle is getting an environment where kids who want to learn will be able to learn without other kids causing trouble. The good kids should be allowed to do well if they want to.'' Mrs. Young acknowledged there had been opposition to separating the so-called bad kids from the rest of the students, however, she said, "People have to learn the way to behave in school and teachers are concerned they are not able to teach properly. I think the majority of children want to learn and I think it's time we started thinking about those children.'' Other non-technical aspects of the education system she hoped to address included the after-school programme and the creation of separate schools boards for all Government schools.

Mrs. Young added Education Minister the Hon. Clarence Terceira had promised to meet regularly with her and the other ten board members.

Nearly one-third of the 650 Bermudians named to Government boards and commissions yesterday were women. The increased number was praised as an important step in the right direction by Human Affairs Minister the Hon.

Jerome Dill.