Private school or terror camp?

Mar 03, 2018 Letters

Dear Editor,
It is with great displeasure that we must make these matters public in hopes that the right people may be able to act upon our complaints.
The Academy of Excellence (private school in Cornelia Ida) has been treating pupils and parents in the most demeaning way for a number of years.
The school has been performing very well at the Grade Six Assessment over the past few years but at what cost? The cost of our children’s mental health!!
Our children are subjected to extremely long hours of work with barely a lunch break or recess time. Grade Six pupils, in particular, attend classes from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm with only a half hour lunch break and two fifteen-minute breaks during the day – sometimes.
They also attend Saturday classes from 8:00am to 4:00 pm. There is no play time or “down time” for these children as they are bombarded with homework.
In addition, there have been no extracurricular activities done for the past year— no Phagwah or Diwali programmes, no sports day, no market day, no Christmas concert where there should be a break in the academics. Now, the HM of that school is by far one of the most unprofessional people one would come across at an educational institution. No parent can ever approach her with a concern and be satisfied.
When voicing a concern, parents are usually verbally abused, with her then ending the tirade with “tek yuh pickney an go!” Bear in mind that she sits at a table on the main floor in full view of approximately five classes so this ranting and raving is usually witnessed by all teachers and pupils on the flat.
Another matter of grave concern there, is the constant flogging of the pupils, from Nursery all the way up to the grade six classes. These pupils are there to learn, not to be terrorized on a daily basis.
There are two teachers (Ms. Serena and Ms. Chandanie) especially, who are also a part of the school’s management, along with the HM, who inflict blows on the children.
Some children are beaten while being verbally abused for simple matters such as handwriting not being perfect or for simple mistakes such as adding wrong or misspelling a word.
One young lady was embarrassed to the point where she urinated right there in the classroom during this harassment. Another child received so many lashes in her hands that they were black and blue.
The HM begged the parent not to take the matter to the police so as to avoid conflict with the teacher (Ms. Chandanie) who is guilty of the act. These two teachers would also embarrass the children over a matter of which they have no control — the school fees.
One child was harassed by Ms. Chandanie because her parents did not pay school fees on time. The child was told “Your mother knows how to dress up and walk but she can’t pay your school fee. I shouldn’t even teach you, because you didn’t pay anything for the past two months.”
Is this the behavior of a teacher? One such instance was reported to officials at the Ministry of Education who told us that they do not look after private schools.
Now, with regards to the school fees, the HM was present at every Grade meeting last year to ensure that she stresses the increase in the fees is not her doing but the Government imposing VAT on education.
She had told us that she has enough money, that she doesn’t want more by raising fees so we must take the matter up with the Ministry of Education and whoever else.
However, now that the decision to pay VAT has been revoked, this school continues to have its parents pay the fees with the increase.
When parents approached the HM and the management, we were told that we want money “to do nails and hair and walk.”
The HM told us that the school fees were raised — its NOT VAT that was added on. By the way, everything increased — from the school fees to the registration fees, the uniform material and even the photocopied books which they sell.
Since the inception of the school, there has never been a revenue stamp attached to any of the receipts.
Too many LIES! Too many SCAMPISH ways! This madness has to stop. We are pleading with the Ministry of Education and Child Protection Services to please step in and see what can be done for our young ones.
How can children learn in such an environment? They are fearful daily when it is time to go to school.
Concerned and fed up parents.

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