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TSC insists stalled appointment dependent on Psychiatric evaluation
The Teaching Service Commission (TSC) has wasted no time in responding to allegations that it has deliberately failed to appoint a graduate teacher to the position of Head Teacher at St George’s Secondary School.
According to information coming out of TSC yesterday, there is no possibility of the teacher in question, Vanessa Wilson, being appointed until approval is granted directly from the Ministry of Education, through Chief Education Officer (CEO), Olato Sam.
Wilson, who was formerly tasked with heading Mahdia Secondary School in Region Eight, was from all indications demoted without any justification. She was asked to report to the Georgetown Department of Education and was subsequently placed at St George’s Secondary.
Graduate Teacher Vanessa Wilson
It was while there that the woman applied to fill the position of Head Teacher at the school to which she was sent. Although Wilson was reportedly the best candidate to apply for the position, TSC, based on information it had received, requested that the woman be subjected to a Medical Board examination.
This was in light of the fact that reports had reached TSC that Wilson was not mentally fit.
However, following the Medical Board examination the woman was classified as “mentally sound.”
Nevertheless, TSC recommended that the woman undergo a Psychiatric examination.
The woman, distraught by the development, sought support from the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) for legal representation, since she and the Union were convinced that the request, coupled with the fact that she was demoted, reportedly without a cause, infringes on her rights.
But according to a TSC official, “We cannot appoint this lady unless we have the go-ahead from Chief Education Officer.”
However, GTU through its Administrative Field Officer, Lancelot Baptiste, had disclosed, at a recent press conference, that following the Medical Board examination, a recommendation was made by the Education Ministry’s Deputy Chief Education Officer (Administration), in the absence of the CEO, for Wilson to be appointed Head Teacher of St George’s Secondary.
This publication was told that while TSC is in possession of a report on the woman’s wellbeing from the Medical Board, the TSC must also be furnished with a report on the woman’s mental soundness, following a Psychiatric evaluation.
“As soon as that comes in to us we can appoint her,” the TSC official said yesterday. The official went on to further explain that the recommendation made for the appointment was done by the DCEO (Deputy Chief Education Officer) who was not aware that there were questions about Wilson’s mental stability.
“Two evaluations needed to be done,” said the official, who informed that there were allegations reaching the TSC that at more than one school to which Wilson was attached, she exhibited behaviour that was not becoming of a teacher.
“Teachers should be role models and normal teachers haven’t had those kinds of problems,” the TSC official stressed.
“We have heard allegations that she has had problems with Headteachers where she was very abusive to them, both verbally and physically. We have heard allegations too that when she was in Mahdia she had a series of problems up there…There were some persons who were linking her behaviour to a political affiliation and that sort of thing, but it is not the TSC’s place to determine that. However, it was her behaviour that caused the Ministry to insist on a Psychiatric evaluation,” the TSC official said.
“Once she passes the Psychiatric evaluation, the TSC is ready to appoint this woman as a graduate HM upon recommendation of the CEO,” the official added.
“We are just waiting; our hands are tied right now. As soon as we receive the green light from the CEO then we will do our part here,” the TSC official asserted.
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