Education Minister Randy Horton officially announced yesterday that US consultant Henry Johnson will act as the Island's new commissioner of education until his contract runs out next June.

Mr. Horton first revealed the news last month in response to a question from a reporter and reiterated it yesterday at a press conference where he also announced that two new directors had been appointed at the Ministry of Education.

Wendy McDonell is the new director of educational standards and accountability and Llewellyn Simmons is the new director of academics. A director of business is still to be appointed.

The Commissioner post and the restructuring of the Ministry to include three directors follows recommendations in the damning Hopkins Report on public schools last year.

Mr. Horton told the media: "We have selected educational professionals who have demonstrated their ability to work well in their fields of expertise and I believe they will continue to work well in the Ministry of Education as we move to establish standards and accountability throughout our entire system."

Dr. Johnson is the $250,000-a-year consultant executive officer for education brought in about a year ago to transform public schools.

Mr. Horton said he would receive no extra pay for being acting commissioner of education and that he would mentor a successor to take over when he leaves next year.

The Minister said the commissioner position had yet to be advertised and that Dr. Johnson's appointment to the post had been made through the Public Service Commission with the knowledge of Bermuda Public Services Union, which represents civil servants. "What we have done is what we have thought necessary," he said.

Dr. Johnson said he expected exciting changes in the public education system in the coming months and years.

Mrs. McDonell, an author and former senior education officer for primary schools, said Bermuda could not afford to lose more ground in terms of student achievement.

"Our future as a nation rests on the quality of the education that we provide for Bermudian children and in these tough economic times we will need to work hard, smart and with a sense of urgency," she said.

Dr. Simmons, a former professor at the University of Dayton, Ohio, who has previously worked as a consultant at the Ministry, said he had a 100-day plan and expected to see some "transformative things" going on by December.

"I believe emphatically that we do not raise student achievement if we do not raise the level of learning of those who disseminate information to students," he said.