Dear Editor ,
It is amazing to see what difference a single person can make in a school, especially when that person is in the leadership position.
Case in point – at a particular Primary School along the East Bank , a competent and charismatic deputy head teacher and a dedicated staff worked towards completing various projects and activities during the early part of the just concluded Easter Term . Under the watchful eyes of the deputy head teacher , the staff planned, organized , raised funds and took control of the activities , cooperation and enthusiasm were at the highest. Every one was happy as pupils returned with trophies from the Regional and National Mash Competitions.
The atmosphere of the school changed significantly as the head teacher resumed duty, replaced the teachers’ plans with plans of her own , which as usual led to confusion .
The school internal Mash tramp was marred by undue delays , when the tramp eventually started after lunch , there was another delay as pupils stood in the sun and waited as the hired music set refused to play.
Then to the surprise of many teachers, it was learnt that a sum of thirty eight thousand dollars ( $38,000.) was paid for the substandard music set that played for about 30-40 minutes, as compared to forty thousand dollars ($40,000) paid for music at the Children’s Costume parade held in Georgetown.
Teachers were faced with more ignorance as they sought funds from the school to purchase materials for the Science Fair projects, they were boldly informed by the typist / treasurer that no cash is available and she will not be going to the bank, ( an auxiliary staff controlling the finances of the school in the presence of a graduate deputy head teacher ?)
Teachers used their imitative and their personal money to get the project completed. They worked until late in the evening using phone and car lights ,as there are no working lights in the classroom . With no access to the school’s internet or computer system , teachers paid for internet access at a nearby café, they worked throughout the weekend ( including Phagwah Day) to complete the Science Project, they visited the host school at 20:30 hrs to secure and mark off a spot, hoping to get an early start the following day. Early start you say? For reasons unknown the finished project , props and teacher sat and waited until 10:30 hrs when permission was eventually given to leave, totally unacceptable!
The term has come to an end and teachers were not reimbursed for :-
-taxi fares to collect test papers from the copy shop, the printing of Termly Schemes, money spent on the Science Fair project and money spent to clean a part of the school.
Isolated case you say? No sir , this is the norm , be it Sports, Graduation or anything else. Imagining pulling off a Graduation Exercise and forgetting the child with the third highest score, or taking pupils to inter-school sports without lunch!
Any teacher who was mentored by Ms. Dianne Peters (retired head teacher of North Ruimveldt Secondary) would understand my disgust at a leader who operates in this manner and then has the audacity to treat teachers in a disdain manner .
Concerned Teacher
(Name provided)
