HM of Rama Krishna Primary: Untouchable, or a sacred cow?

Dear Editor,

We write to express our concern over an issue of abuse of power and mismanagement at the Rama Krishna Primary School. Evidence has shown that since the appointment of the present Head Mistress, Ms Melanie Cornette, there has been outright and open abuse of power by her as it relates to parents, students and teachers.

In our opinion, this is a frustrating scenario at a Government school, with nothing being done by the officials from the Ministry of Education to alleviate the bias and abuse of authority by this head-mistress, since they are aware of her (alleged) misdeeds. In fact, numerous letters of complaint were written by parents and teachers to officers within the Ministry of Education, and even to the Hon Minister of Education, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine.

Needless to say, these issues were not addressed. Parents and teachers were left with no other option but to highlight their issues and concerns in the media. Some of the issues that were highlighted in the letters to the Ministry of Education and in the media include:

* In the media, on Channel 67, there was an airing about this head teacher’s mismanagement and harassment of the school’s vendors in October, 2015.

* A letter, dated March 1, 2016, was written by members of the school’s Parent Teachers Association (PTA) to the Hon Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, and was carbon copied to the Hon Nicolette Henry and the President of the Guyana Teachers Union. This letter had sought to bring to the Hon. Minister’s attention the plight of the newly elected PTA body, which include, but is not limited to, verbal threats and abuse made to the PTA president and other parents; the refusal of the head-mistress to allow the PTA to function; the daily unprofessional behaviour of Ms Cornette; and the (alleged) misappropriation of school funds, among other issues. However, to date, members of the PTA body are yet to receive a response from the ministers.

* Another letter, dated March 2, 2016, was written to, and received by, Mr Emmanuel Bridgewater ( Principal Education Officer) by members of the PTA on behalf of parents of the Rama Krishna Primary, seeking his urgent intervention in regard to the following: The head-mistress’s poor managerial and leadership skills; withholding of financial records from the PTA; misuse of financial contributions made to the school by parents to offset the school’s telephone bills; the purchase of fuel for Ms Cornette’s personal vehicle and that of another staff member; the sale of stale food prepared by the head-mistress, who is not in possession of a food handler’s certificate; this food had made pupils sick; and the consumption of alcohol on the school’s premises, among other issues. Again, no intervention was made.

* In an article appearing in the Guyana Chronicle of June 27th, 2016, a group of parents expressed their concerns and protested outside the Rama Krishna Primary School, calling for the head- mistress to be removed or sanctioned.

Almost one month later — in July 2016 — a group of parents of Grade Six (6) children met with reporters of the Kaieteur News to vent their frustration over the misappropriation of funds that were contributed for their children’s graduation.

* Likewise, a letter dated December 7, 2016 was written to the Hon. Minister of Education and copied to the Principal Education Officer and District Education Officer, relating an incident which occurred on December 6th, 2016. The letter detailed the unprofessional behaviour of the head-mistress in dealing with a staff member in the presence of a parent. The head-mistress allegedly hurled racial remarks about the teacher’s ethnicity while attempting to physically assault her in the process.

* Another letter, dated January 20, 2017, was dispatched to the Principal Education Officer by the parent who had witnessed the incident, giving a detailed account of what had transpired between the head-mistress and the aforementioned teacher in the former’s office on December 6, 2016.

Editor, permit me to say that smooth progress of any institution depends greatly on proper management. Those management skills are certainly not displayed by Ms. Cornette; hence the pupils, teachers, parents and PTA of the Rama Krishna Primary School continue to work in an antagonistic environment. Education is the key to personal and social stability and order; therefore, a positive input by this head-mistress would prove to be very significant in the maintenance of respect, cooperation and equality in this institution. However, as evidence has shown, Ms Cornette’s actions have been quite contrary, and seriously continue to negatively affect the progress of the school.

Editor, if there is need for the foregoing information to be verified, contact can be made with the undersigned to facilitate perusal of the documents, since they are in our possession.

A number of issues need to be clarified with the parents and teachers of Rama Krishna Primary School. These are:

1. Is Ms Cornette the one and same person who represented the People’s National Congress (PNC), now APNU, on the Region 4 Regional Democratic Council as an elected Councillor?

2. If the answer to the above question is in the affirmative, is this the reason no action or response is forthcoming from officials of the Ministry of Education to resolve this problem and bring an end to the abuses?

3. Is this the same Melanie Cornette who was a teacher at North Georgetown Primary, where problems of a similar nature were reported in the press?

4. If after parents and teachers have utilised all possible official channels seeking redress and they are met with no response, what should they do next?

5. Is the Ministry of Education’s non-response a result of instructions from higher up, since a letter to the minister himself went unanswered?

6. Is Ms Cornette of Rama Krishna Primary the ‘Carol Joseph’ of Region 4?

7. Is she untouchable? Is she a sacred cow?

We, having received this information, now use this forum to add our voices to the voices of the affected parents, students, teachers and members of that community to demand a full, independent and through investigation. We remain on watch to ensure there is no victimisation or recrimination of parents, teachers and students as a result of this public exposure. We expect responsible and swift action on this matter.

Bishop Juan Edghill,

PPP/C MP

(for and on behalf of

affected parties)