NA Multilateral Head, Deputy Head Teachers removed

By Andrew Carmichael

The Head Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher of the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) have been removed from their posts by the Education Ministry after over a dozen teachers sought transfers to other school after failure on the part of the authorities there to address allegations of racism and mismanagement at the school.
In their letters or transfer requests, the teachers all sighted racial tension. They

had all claimed that the situation at the school had made the working environment uncomfortable among themselves and also the students.
Back 2016, the Region Six Regional Democratic Council had recommended having either the Principal Narine Ddatt Dhanraj or the acting deputy head Shondell Phillips removed from the premier secondary learning facility in the region.
The school is run by a Board and despite several calls at the regional level for the duo’s removal, no action was taken.
After the life of that Board came to an end came April 2017, the canteen management arrangements were changed allowing certain teachers access to the funds and control of the school canteen. It had been reported that there was a lot of unauthorised spending and mismanagement of the school’s funds which later led to segregation in the school.
Results from the Caribbean Secondary Examination Council (CSEC) showed a downward trend as the New Amsterdam Multilateral School has been losing its premier standing. The year 2014 was the last year the New Amsterdam Multilateral School topped the region from a percentage standpoint.
As a result, earlier this month, the Education Ministry took a decision to remove both Dhanraj and Phillips in an effort to save the school as the Regional Education Committee had also been reporting that the school has been reporting increasing numbers of social problems.
In January, a letter was issued to Phillips stating that she was being sent to the Vrymens Erven Secondary. After the letter was issued, there was political interference and the letter was recalled. But even before the letter was recalled,

other teachers began signalling their reluctance to work with Dhanraj by applying for their own transfers.
Meanwhile, as from the new school year, Dhanraj will take up an appointment at the Central Corentyne Secondary at Bushlot, Corentyne while Phillips will go to the Vrymens Erven Secondary in New Amsterdam.
Dhanraj who was acting at the school’s Principal for more than a decade, will not be heading the Central Corentyne Secondary.
Phillips, whose substantive position is head of department, will head the English Department at the Vrymens Erven Secondary.
Region Six Chairman David Armogan noted that the Regional Administration and the Education Ministry were forced to conduct an investigation which revealed there is a management problem and division at the New Amsterdam Multilateral School. “It is clear that the head teacher cannot manage the school because there seems to be some level of animosity or division between himself and the deputy which is tearing the school apart; one side is with the head teacher and another side is with the deputy and that is reflecting on the behavior of the students as well. We have seen a turn for the worst in terms of discipline at that school.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman noted that President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union, Mark Lyte was offered the job as principal of the New Amsterdam Multilateral School but has refused.
The vacancy will have to be advertised, Armogan said.