Parents raise alarm over alleged tuition demands, corporal punishment at Rosignol Primary School

Several parents with children attending Rosignol Primary School, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), have raised serious concerns over the conduct of a class teacher; alleging illegal tuition demands, corporal punishment of students, and a troubling incident involving a child who was reportedly chased from a classroom and later treated as missing.
According to multiple parents, the teacher allegedly demanded $6000 per month from parents for what was described as “extra lessons”. However, parents claim these lessons were conducted during regular instructional hours, raising concerns that children whose parents did not pay were placed at a disadvantage.
Parents further allege that some children were flogged by the teacher, an action which, under Ministry of Education policy, is strictly regulated. The Ministry’s guidelines state that only a head teacher, deputy head teacher, or a designated senior master or mistress is authorised to administer corporal punishment. Classroom teachers are not permitted to hit students, and doing so may constitute assault.
The allegations were reportedly brought to the attention of the Ministry of Education.
The teacher was reportedly sent on administrative leave to facilitate the investigation.
In an invited comment, Chief Education Officer Muhammed Hussain confirmed that the matter was investigated and that appropriate action was taken.This publication understands that one of the recommendations emerging from the investigation was for the teacher to return money allegedly collected from parents.
Despite this, parents expressed shock when they turned up at the school on Monday at the start of the new school term and reportedly found the teacher back in the classroom.
Several parents said they have since lost confidence in the teacher and in the internal handling of issues at the school, alleging that wrongdoing is often “covered up”.
Some parents also pointed to what they described as a potential conflict of interest, noting that one teacher at the school is married to an education officer in Region Five, and are calling for a thorough external investigation into the school’s operations and its impact on learners.
Concerns intensified following an incident last Thursday in which a student was allegedly flogged and chased out of the classroom. The child, who reportedly did not go home for lunch, is said to have become frightened and hid within the school compound. When the child was neither at home nor present when afternoon classes resumed, a missing person report was made to the Police.
Under national missing persons protocols, there is no 24-hour waiting period for reporting missing individuals. Reports involving children automatically trigger a high-risk response, including multi-agency mobilisation, senior Police oversight, and coordination with the Child Care and Protection Agency. Police ranks subsequently visited the school as part of their response.
Parents claim that following the Police visit, the child’s parent was accused by school officials of “sending Police to the school”, a situation which has further strained relations between parents and the administration.
The issue of tuition demands has also raised red flags. The Ministry of Education strictly prohibits public school teachers from soliciting money from parents for tuition or any school-based activity. Breaches of this policy fall under the jurisdiction of the Teaching Service Commission, and teachers found in violation may face disciplinary action.
Parents are now calling on the Ministry of Education to initiate a comprehensive, independent probe into the allegations at Rosignol Primary School, insisting that the welfare, safety, and educational rights of students must take precedence over institutional reputation.