Principals in limbo after promotions

AS the new school term began, some 17 principals who were promoted to the posts of School Supervisor 1 at the Ministry of Education on December 6, 2023, are said to be in limbo.

The principals, including president of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) Martin Lum Kin, have received instructions from the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) to return to their substantive position and wait until arrangements are made to accommodate them.

They are calling on Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and the TSC to address the matter urgently.

Members of denominational school boards told Newsday that on December 6, the TSC “hurriedly” handed out letters of promotions to the 17 principals. The dates on the letters ranged from November 29 and 30 to December 5, 2023. The promotions were published in the TSC’s newsletter on December 7.

Newsday sent a WhatsApp message to Gadsby-Dolly on January 1 asking about the status of the promotions, but she did not respond.

Lum Kin confirmed the appointment, which he said will affect his tenure as TTUTA’s president.

“I have been asked to complete my term of office at TTUTA,” Lum Kin said.

Stakeholders said senior officials at the MOE, including Gadsby-Dolly, were unaware of these promotions, as the minister  had said at a recent stakeholders' meeting.

Stakeholders are questioning the legality of this situation.

“There has not been a word from TTUTA, whose president is one of those promoted, or from the Primary Schools Principals Association, which had three of their officers promoted.

“Only recently, the denominational boards of education received requests to release the principals who were promoted from their boards.”

In the interim, recommendations for acting arrangements are also being delayed.

Board members said the TSC has before it applications from officers who had applied since 2018 for promotion to senior teachers, heads of departments, and vice principals, who are all waiting to be interviewed.

The Presbyterian Primary School Board of Education said in a release that it is aware of the situation and the uncertainty principals are facing.

“Three of our principals are in this situation, and although they received letters of promotion on December 6, the board only received a request for their release on December 15."

The board said it has several concerns and outstanding matters with the TSC, but because it is engaged in litigation in the High Court on the process for recruiting teachers in denominational schools, it will reserve further comment at this time.