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Wycliffe Smith.
~ 6 teachers absent Wed. ~
EBENEZER–Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports (ECYS) Wycliffe Smith is looking into the situation at the Preparatory Secondary Vocational Education (PSVE) section of St. Maarten Academy with a view of resolving the situation at the school.
The Daily Herald understands that the minister met with the Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU) Tuesday evening on the matter.
During the live weekly Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday, Smith said he wanted to assure the public and parents that his ministry “is talking to parties” in an attempt to seek a solution in the interest of the school’s roughly 300 students.
Smith said as Minister of Education and in the interest of all parties concerned, “We should be ensuring that students receive quality education which is why students are in school. I will reach out to relevant parties to seek solutions in interest of students.”
The minister said it is difficult to say how soon a solution will be in place. The ministry is “very concerned” about the matter and Smith will do his utmost to try to bring about a resolution. “I am looking forward to having this matter resolved as quickly as possible.” The ministry has been following the developments and has now began to mediate.
Some PSVE staff members have been staying away from school since it opened for the new academic year. On Monday, 18 staff were absent from school; on Tuesday, 11 were absent and on Wednesday, six did not show up – four teachers and two student care coordinators.
The absenteeism comes in the midst of a conflict between the staff and the PSVE principal Lavern Nelson, whom the teachers want removed from her position and reassigned to another post. The Foundation for Academic and Vocational Education has maintained that Nelson will not be removed and considers the teachers’ complaints personal attacks, frivolous and unsubstantiated.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/79610-smith-looking-into-situation-at-psve
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