Garcia to meet with Sando Methodist PTA

Minister of Education Anthony Garcia has scheduled a meeting with representatives of the San Fernando Methodist Primary School, Parent Teachers Association (PTA), at 3 pm today, at his office, to discuss its demand for the removal of the school’s principal.

PTA president Darren Medford, who confirmed the meeting, said this would not cancel a lunch time protest outside the Mon Chagrin Street school at noon today over the reinstatement of a teacher freed of sexually assaulting a student several years ago.

Yesterday, the PTA engaged in a day of rest and relaxation. Only 25 students of the 225 enrolled at the school attended classes. He commended Garcia for reaching out to the PTA and expressed optimism it would bring an end to the problem.

But in a release yesterday evening, Garcia advised protesting parents that the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) was the body responsible for the removal of a teacher and not the ministry.

Garcia pledged to support all stakeholders, within the guidelines set out by the Constitution, the Education Act and the Concordat.

He quoted from section 125 of the Constitution which declares, “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, power to appoint persons to hold or act in public offices in the Teaching Service established under the Education Act, including power to make appointments on promotion and transfer and to confirm appointments, and to remove and exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in such offices and to enforce standards of conduct on such officers shall vest in the TSC.”

He also pointed out that being a denominational school, the PTA must adhere to the Concordat of 1960 which specifies to the right of appointment, retention, promotion, transfer and dismissal of teachers in primary schools will rest with the Public Service Commission.

“A teacher shall not be appointed to a school if the denominational board objects to such an appointment on moral or religious grounds. Similarly, if a teacher be found unsatisfactory on these very grounds, moral or religious, the denominational authority shall have the right to request his removal to another school after due investigation.”

Medford said the PTA will be writing to the chairman of the TSC, Fazal Ali to intervene in this situation because the paramount concern is for the children.