Cluster board members could come from all walks of life but the main criteria will be leadership quality.

Initial indications show there will be ten members on each board, each with a three-year tenure but with staggered annual exits to ensure continuity of policy.

One will be appointed by the Education Minister and one by the PTA (Parent Teacher Association).

The Interim Executive Board responsible for implementing the ten recommendations for reform of the Island's public education system in the Hopkins Report has not yet decided how the other eight will be chosen, but two or three will have to be resident in the geographical area which the cluster covers.

Darren Johnston, project leader of the Medium Term Development team, which has drawn up the cluster boards, said: "The remaining elected officials will have to have leadership qualities which would come from either tourism, business, education or sociology-type backgrounds."

He said a representative of each cluster board will sit on the main Education Board, and as the Education Minister is responsible for those appointees, Randolph Horton will thus be responsible for choosing one member of each cluster.

Mr. Johnston said each representative will be subject to training, support and evaluation — each being held accountable. Protocols will also be set to ensure that each board follows certain practices and standards.

He said: "The school-based results will be transparent. So, if I am on a board and have schools in my district which aren't growing, and the scores are not what they ought to be, it's not just the principals and teachers who ought to examine themselves but the board for that cluster will also need to be examined on all of that. And hopefully there will be mechanisms in place to monitor as we go along.

"Boards that are working will be shining stars and get to help other boards, and boards that are not working, there will be mechanisms in place to make sure that the appropriate actions are taken so that student outcomes get to be what we expect them to be."

The boards will be linked to the Ministry of Education by an Assistant Director.

Dr. Henry Johnson, Consultant Executive Officer for the reform process, said: "The Assistant Director will be responsible for coordinating support and evaluating the principals in the cluster for which he or she has responsibility, and then to report back to the Ministry staff. They will be an advocate for the schools in the cluster."

The education reform team has recommended the creation of six cluster boards — one for secondary and special schools, and another five for each of the middle schools, to also be responsible for primary and pre-schools.