| – pressing matters gain attention The issues at the Port Kaituma Primary School which forced teachers to stage a sit-in on Monday were reportedly up for discussion yesterday when Regional Education Officer (ag), Nigel Richards, spearheaded a meeting at the Region One School.The move came one day after daunting concerns at the school were highlighted in this publication ranging from insanitary conditions to overcrowded classrooms.Some of the teachers of the Port Kaituma Primary School during their industrial action on Monday.But although those concerns were reportedly highlighted yesterday there are reports that some teachers were chastised for sharing details with the media. This publication was however informed of the situation of the school by concerned parents.“They don’t want us to say anything about the issues that we have at this school…There are concerns here and we have to raise the issues so that they can be fixed. I don’t even believe that the Minister knows what is going on at this school,” a source close to the school disclosed yesterday.Attempts to contact Richards yesterday to learn of the way forward for the school proved futile and Head Mistress of the school, Ms Sharon Murray, was unwilling to comment when contacted.“It is unethical for me as HM to divulge anything about the school; that is for the Region to do,” said Murray.She further disclosed that the HM only has freewill to comment on good performances of the school,NFL Jerseys China Cheap, even as she went on to highlight that the school ranked third in Region One at the 2013 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).The top pupil for the school, who scored 498 marks, was granted placement at President’s College, the Head Mistress related. In fact,NFL Jerseys China, she informed that the school’s pass rate for the NGSA result this year was in fact 74 per cent – up from 50 per cent last year.“I am not commenting on anything else…the Region has to deal with that, so I am not going to say anything about what is or is not being addressed,” said Murray who did not waver in steadily repeating her “no comment” stance.This publication reported in its most recent Tuesday Edition that crowded classrooms coupled with insanitary conditions,Wholesale Jerseys USA, were among the concerns that forced the teachers of the Primary School to stage a sit-in.This publication was informed, too, that there were plans to continue the industrial action until the relevant officials take remedial action. In fact it was revealed that the concerns, which have time and again been raised by both teachers and parents, have not been gaining traction with the Regional Education Department.Reports reaching this newspaper are that the school, with a population of 776 pupils, is grossly understaffed. Moreover, since the commencement of the new school year, teachers have been working with overcrowded classes.Currently the school has a teaching staff of seventeen. It was revealed to this publication that the school has six Grade Two classes,NFL Jerseys Cheap, each with at least 25 pupils, and there are only two Grade Two teachers on staff.Added to the concerns that prompted the ire of the teachers,Cheap Jerseys From China, as well as parents, is the situation of unsanitary washrooms, which was linked to the fact that the school has been without water for some time now.This has reportedly prevented the cleaners from properly carrying out their responsibilities, so much so that “the toilets are nasty to the extent that there are worms in them; the place is in an awful state,” said a parent who told this publication that she along with several parents were required to remove their children from the school environment last Monday. This publication was unable to ascertain whether there was a normal turnout of pupils yesterday.In fact the same parent said that the compound of the school as of Monday was in a deplorable state, complete with flourishing overgrowth and garbage strewn about. The parent disclosed too that at least three snakes were caught in the school compound Monday morning, a state of affairs that caused several parents to consider keeping their children home until conditions improve.Added to the state of the school,Wholesale NFL China Jerseys, members of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) have also highlighted a grouse they have with the Head Mistress with respect to financial accountability in relation to a school library.“She has not showed one single receipt of books that she has bought…we have no idea what has become of the money or what are the plans for the library,” said a PTA member.In fact the matter was raised only last Wednesday when the school held a PTA meeting and according to members of the PTA “she is not addressing pertinent matters.” |
