criticism of Government's school restructuring plan from one of his predecessors.

"This Minister is...prepared to stand by plans for change that have great merit for our community,'' Dr. Terceira said in reponse to criticism from former Education Minister Mrs. Gloria McPhee.

"He intends to fight misinformation and he urges the community to seek accurate and reasoned responses to questions of serious community interest.'' In a Letter to the Editor of The Royal Gazette , Mrs. McPhee said the new $40-million senior secondary school which Government planned was a "demon scheme'' which would "play a deadly role in the total polarisation of the races'' in Bermuda.

The new school, which can accommodate 1,250 students, would eventually sound the death knell for the historic Berkeley Institute, she said.

Dr. Terceira said the criticism from Mrs. McPhee, who was Education Minister in the United Bermuda Party Government from 1972 to 1976, was "unfortunate''.

"Rather than my Ministry, it would appear that it is Mrs. McPhee who is trying to rouse `demons' about an education project that is being designed and built to the highest possible standards and which will present our young people, both black and white, with a very wide range of new and exciting educational challenges and opportunities,'' he said.

He took "particular offence'' to the suggestion the new school would "polarise'' the races.

"Fairness and equity at every level,'' was the goal behind "the abolition of the secondary school entrance examination, the introduction of middle schools and the academic excellence and skills training that will be offered by our expanded senior secondary curriculum at the Berkeley Institute and at the new facility at Prospect,'' he said.

Government, which is introducing three years of middle schol between Primary 6 and the first year of senior secondary school, has "taken the widest possible advice on the design and planning of the new and renovated school facilities''.

Ground was recently broken on the new school at Prospect, scheduled to open in 1997. Major renovations to middle schools are to take place next year.

Six years in development, the plan meets the highest international standards while remaining "unique to the needs of Bermuda's young people'', he said.

"I take great personal offence at the simplistic assertion that all of this planning and forethought are bad for Bermuda's schools and bad for our students,'' he said.

"Mrs. McPhee does not believe that Bermuda has the skill, the teachers or the resources to operate a revitalised secondary school system. Nothing could be further from the truth.'' Dr. Terceira said he knew "Bermuda confronts serious issues within its society and within its school system'', and changed attitudes were needed. A restructured school system "is surely a key component of such a beginning and one that deserves the highest possible support by all Bermudians''.

Government responded to community concerns by agreeing to make Berkeley Institute a second senior secondary school.

The Minister said Mrs. McPhee used "extravagant language to describe the risks that our students face in this fast-changing world''.

"Does she seriously propose, however, that Bermuda should maintain the status quo and avoid any change in our schools in the opportunities they offer and in the limited number of students to whom the best opportunites are offered?''