Retired teacher’s record of success creates confusion upon his return

Mar 17, 2010 News

At the Enmore Primary School, teachers, parents and the Ministry of the Education are at odds with each other; and caught in the middle are the students of grades six and seven.
The confusion arose when the Ministry of Education moved to re-employ Mr. Harry Persaud, a retired teacher so that he might manage the remedial Grade seven programme in the school.
However, parents and staff felt that his 27-year track record of success at the nearby Enmore Hope Primary School grade six level should not be allowed to go to waste when the sixth graders of this school (Enmore Primary) are currently in desperate need of a teacher as their regular teacher is out until the next school term on maternity leave and the students are scheduled to write the National Grade 6 Examinations on March 31 and April 1 of this year.
The head mistress of Enmore Primary, Mrs. Bidoutie Pritipaul, noted that this is not the first time that she has been told to make sure that Mr. Persaud takes his grade seven class rather than the sixth graders. She has even been made to understand that as of yesterday some sort of disciplinary action will be undertaken as a result of her non-compliance, however she is steadfast in her opinion that Mr. Persaud will be of the most assistance to the students of that (sixth) grade.
Barring his complete transfer to teaching the sixth grade, she was also trying to get the Ministry to at least let him continue teaching that group until the exams which are just a few weeks away, before switching to the seventh grade.
However, according to Mrs. Pritipaul, the Ministry has turned that proposition down citing “Ministry policy” as the reason behind their refusal.
Regional Education Officer (REO) Region Four, Mr. Baydewan Rambarran, said on the matter that the Grade Seven is a remedial year, the persons hired to teach it are hired specifically for that purpose. In seeking to have Mr. Persaud take responsibility for the students of that group they are only following Ministry policy on the matter.
The remedial program is a part of the six-year transitional curriculum that sees students leaving Primary schools for Secondary schools; however for those whose capabilities leave them unable to handle the work at the Secondary level this year of remediation has been instituted.
The programme has the cabinet’s approval to rehire interested teachers who have recently retired out of the educational system at the stipulated age of 55 to be instructors to these students; it specifically calls for experienced and qualified teachers who will be able to build up the faculties of children as well as handle their unique learning needs and behavioral issues – children who might otherwise have been lost in the secondary school system to the point of eventually dropping out of school.
According to Mrs. Pritipaul, the students of the sixth grade need Mr. Persaud’s assistance more than the students of the seventh grade and she as well as the parents are not happy with the matter.
Meanwhile, REO Rambarran claims that the Enmore Primary School is actually overstaffed by two so there is no need for Mr. Persaud to be taking that class, but according to the headmistress, if he (Persaud) doesn’t, she must do so herself, since the two extra members of staff are not trained teachers and the rest who are trained/qualified have been spread amongst the other grade levels.
Senior Education Officer (Secondary) Mrs. Melcita Bovell said that although she can identify with the parents of those children in the Grade 6 who will be deprived of Mr. Persaud’s experience and skill, he applied to the posted advertisements for the programme, he was given the task and agreed to undertake it. For him to do anything other than what he was appointed to do, such that he neglects his given duties would be tantamount to dishonesty and for the Ministry to support such a move, would put them in the same position.
According to Mrs. Bovell, the monies awarded to the programme were done so with a specific purpose in mind, it is therefore important that the Ministry delivers results to that end; they cannot do that if the persons appointed to teach the children do not do so. She also pointed out that, “Everyone is concerned about the sixth grade students but what of those students in the seventh grade who have already been shortchanged by the system. Do they not deserve an opportunity to succeed as well?”

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