Carole Olsen served as the superintendent of the Halifax Regional School Board for a decade. (CBC)

Carole Olsen will be Nova Scotia's next deputy minister of education.

Premier Darrell Dexter made the announcement Thursday.

Olsen has been the superintendent of the Halifax Regional School Board for the past 10 years, overseeing roughly 50,000 students, 137 schools, and 8,000 employees.

"For those of you who do know me you know that I'm very, very passionate about public education...I believe in the promise of public education." "I firmly believe that every student can learn, just not at the same rate, maybe not at the same time and maybe not on the same day." She will resign as superintendent and start at the provincial department on Sept. 1.

She previously made $146,000 a year, but will bump up to $165,000 as deputy minister on a three year contract.

Her time at the Halifax school board was sometimes controversial. Two years ago, a leaked video showing a principal scuffling with a junior high student was traced to her school board email account.

Her husband admitted sending the email.