Irregularities abound at New Amsterdam schools

Jul 05, 2008 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
It has been brought to my attention that many teachers of secondary schools across New Amsterdam, and particularly one individual, are not marking students’ examination papers.

Hence, they fill in ‘doctored’ or fictitious marks, much to the disadvantage of the students. This should not be the case. Parents as well as the Ministry of Education need to be aware of this most unfortunate development in the education system in New Amsterdam, and maybe in other parts of the country.

Parents should go in to these schools when they are reopened to have a look at their children’s exam papers for this past term examinations.

They should demand to see same to check for any discrepancies in the marking. Students work very hard and study for their exams. Why, then, do some of our teachers have to do this most unprofessional act?
Is it because they are either too lazy, or don’t have time to mark their papers?

Maybe some form of punishment by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) should be carried out on these persons in the system.

Another disturbing action is that a New Amsterdam Head Mistress (acting) is staying home very often on medical leave (38 days to be exact—10 days more than what is allotted by the ministry’s regulations) and she has a school to run.

This same school today is malfunctioning at maximum capacity. There is no law and order there. This teacher chose to stay away from school for the past two weeks (while end-of-term exams were going on) but still found time (while on medical leave) to go to the school to pay teachers’ salaries.

Someone from the Ministry of Health should look into her ‘illness’ and not grant her the leave. These things should not be.

There must be a thorough investigation into this ‘malfunctioning’ school as soon as school reopens. I have provided the Editor with the name of the school.
Name and Address Withheld