PRIINCIPALS INDISCIPLINED Tuesday, September 7 2010
Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh has lashed out at four principals for disrespecting his ministry by not disclosing why they kept their schools closed yesterday.
At a media briefing at the Education Ministry, Alexandra Street, St Clair, Gopeesingh said the ministry was unaware that the principals of Guaico Government Primary, St Patrick South Oropouche RC, Princes Town RC and Salazar Trace Government Primary Schools did not begin classes on the first day of the new school year.
Gopeesingh said the decision to keep the schools closed was made by the principals and not the Education Ministry. “The principals alone seem to know the reasons for keeping the schools closed. Those reasons have not been advanced to the Ministry of Education,” he said, adding an investigation will take place to determine why this happened. During the question period, Gopeesingh said many factors could have accounted for what happened such as “disrespect” and “indiscipline”.
Gopeesingh later said officials of South Oropouche indicated the school was kept closed because no furniture was placed for the standard three and five students. He said this was not communicated to the ministry before. Other schools which did not open were: Newtown Girls’ RC, Newtown Boys’ RC and Queen’s Royal College. Gopeesingh said Newtown Girls’ will reopen today and the boys’ school tomorrow for the “latest” after they were sanitised.
He said “a lot of work had to be done at QRC” with replacing floors, whiteboards, burglar- proofing, and new structural work. Gopeesingh said all the work was finished except bars for the safety and security of students. He hoped that QRC will be opened by tomorrow.
The Education Ministry said ten schools remained closed yesterday as it revised its initial report that only Pleasantville Secondary, St Augustine Secondary and Cowen Hamilton Secondary would not open.
Cowen Hamilton is due to resume classes today and Pleasantville and St Augustine tomorrow. Gopeesingh described as “false and misleading” a report that 33 schools will not be reopening. The Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) was sharply criticised for using a list of 25 schools scheduled for repairs as the basis of its conclusion that these schools were not opening. An irate Gopeesingh said the list was provided to TTUTA by the ministry and the first vice-president Devanand Sinanan had given “false, misleading, erroneous” information and he would bring up the matter with TTUTA.
Gopeesingh said the schools were listed according to priority with work proceeding on “priority one” schools in need of repairs, and “priority two” schools listed for work during the weekends and public holidays and “priority three” schools to be done during the Christmas and Easter school breaks. TTUTA issued a release last evening listing 35 schools which it had “serious reservations about the readiness” about resumption of normal classes “either because work is still in progress or where the necessary remedial work has not even commenced.” The list included primary and secondary schools mentioned by the ministry and several others. Also on the list were Woodbrook Secondary and Tranquillity Government Secondary which had classes yesterday.
Gopeesingh said the ministry had to source an additional $36 million for the July-August repairs since $85 million had been utilised before the People’s Partnership took office and there was no funding available. Funds were transferred to the School Repair Programme from allocations which were not used for the fiscal year. Gopeesingh said approximately $160 million is needed for repairs.
Work was still continuing at the Newtown Girls’ RC and parents contacting the school were told the school would reopen on Monday. A notice at the school advised it was closed until “further notice”. Newsday learnt the work was taking place at Newtown Girls’ but on August 28 a new contractor was enlisted to complete electrical and roofing work. The contractor was asked to do additional works including installation of air conditioning units. Education Facilities Company Ltd Chief Executive Officer Paul Taylor maintained that work at Newtown had been completed and only sanitisation had to be done. The school has asked for “professionals” to do the sanitising. In June, Gopeesingh had said the Biche High School would open this term. Commenting on the status of the school he said ten years have lapsed since construction (in 2001) and the infrastructure was decaying. He said geo-technical studies had to be done in relation to construction of retaining walls and environmental impact assessments had to be done during the rainy and dry seasons. After the investigations, a decision will be made about opening the school which has not been occupied because of safety concerns. A Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the project took place chaired by Justice Annestine Sealy. Gopeesingh told the media that the ministry’s COI report was missing pages 69 and 70 and he will ask for the full report from Attorney General Anand Ramlogan.
Responding to a rumour circulating about money being charged for meals in the National School Feeding Programme, Gopeesingh said it was “political mischievousness”.
