Educator Dr. Lou Matthews has been named the Director of Standards and Accountability for the Ministry of Education.

Education Minister El James made the announcement in the House of Assembly during Monday's education Budget debate.

Dr. Matthews' team will include three assistant directors primary school principals including Evereth Richardson, of Somerset Primary, Laverne Simons, from Heron Bay, and Dr. Freddie Evans, from Whitney Institute. The budget for this department is $1 million, an increase of $59,000, or six percent.

Mr. James said it provided funding for the Director, assistant directors and a secretary post.

"We have hired three assistant directors who will be responsible for supervising the principals at the primary and middle schools. The Director will take on the responsibility for supervising the senior schools.

"The salaries for all of the assistant directors posts have been included in the cost centre and this has resulted in an increase of $198,00 to the line item for salaries. However, we have reduced the budget by $139,000 in such areas as transportation costs, conference costs, production costs, publications and overseas and local consultants."

Dr. Matthews has taught at middle and high schools, and the tertiary level since receiving Bachelor of Science degrees in Mathematics and Accounting from Atlantic Union College in 1991.

Subsequently, he obtained a Masters of Education in Secondary Mathematics from Alabama A&M University in 1994 and a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from Illinois State University in 2002.

He is a Bermudian educator who has been involved in leadership and education in the United States and Bermuda for the past 18 years.

Much of this work has centred on working with universities, districts and parent, teacher and student groups to build programmes, education partnerships, frame research and impacting student learning.