RADHICA DE SILVA
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Weeks before the start of the CXC examinations, students of St Anthony’s College have been thrown into a tailspin after being left without an Information Technology (IT) teacher.
Form Four students who are enrolled to write the IT examinations next year, are now being asked to take on a new subject, a move which has left parents angry.
The school also does not have a Social Studies teacher but has been utilising the services of another Social Studies teacher attached to the Success/Laventille Secondary School.
Speaking to Guardian Media following a meeting with school officials, parent Shomane Woode Roberts called on Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly to ensure that all teacher vacancies are filled immediately.
“I am really disappointed there is no IT teacher, as I have already put my son into lessons and he has already settled on his decision of a career, so not being able to do IT is a major setback in his studies,” Roberts said.
Saying her son is under stress, Roberts added: “We have many persons with degrees out here begging to be employed. There was supposed to be something in place for situations like this so that the children would not be affected this drastically. I’m not sure what would be my next step to prepare my son for examinations as he would not have to choose a completely different subject and start SBAs in the last term of Form 4.”
Another parent, Natasha Honnock, said via WhatsApp, “My son is also very distraught about losing IT, please do what you can to assist.”
Nigel Seales, another parent, said something had to be done to assist the students who are now at an unfair disadvantage through no fault of their own.
A school source said some teachers had been teaching multiple subjects to make up for the shortfall of teachers. Currently, there is no Social Studies teacher and Forms 1 to 3 students are losing out, parents said.
Contacted for comment, the Catholic Board of Education CEO Sharon Mangaroo put the blame solely on the doorstep of the ministry.
She said, “The MoE proceeded to effect the transfer without providing a replacement, disregarding the negative impact on students weeks before the CXC examinations start, while the curriculum and SBAs are being completed.”
She added: “We did write to both the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) and the Minister on the matter. We were advised that the TSC approves transfers of teachers, but once they approve a transfer, it is up to the Ministry to effect it. The Ministry advised that the Board should make a recommendation for a replacement. We have done so.”
Mangaroo called on the ministry to improve the process of transfers.
“The transfer of teachers normally takes place at the beginning of the term with the principal and teacher being informed before the end of the preceding term so that appropriate arrangements are made for a smooth handover,” she said.
She called on the ministry to ensure that no class is left without a teacher as a result of a transfer.
She also said the order-of-merit list from which teachers are sourced should always be up-to-date.
“The absence of a teacher for prolonged periods militates against student success in academics as well as in the other areas that contribute to a child’s development. Citizens of T&T have a right to quality education for their children,” Mangaroo said.
She advised parents to contact the ministry to air their concerns.
Contacted for comment, Minister Gadsby-Dolly said transfers are approved by the Teaching Service Commission and not the ministry.
“The transfer was effected to fill a similar vacancy at another school, pending the approval of the board’s recommendation to fill the vacancy at St Anthony’s by the TSC,” she explained.
She added, “Once this is received, the officer will be transferred to fill this vacancy. The principal can, however, make use of persons on the Substitute Teacher listing in the interim which the principal has access to.”