Several parents of students attending the Claudia Creque Educational Centre on Anegada say they are not prepared to have a school board thrown at them without proper consultation and selection of persons to sit on it. Photo: VINO/File

The announcement to have a school board at the Claudia Creque Educational Centre came on the heels of recent protests by parents of students of the school over several issues. Photo: VINO/File

“I welcome this move because I have always been saying that’s the way to go but we want it done in the proper manner, with careful considerations of a number of things, because everyone here is related and while a board is good we have to know who is selected, not the empty vessels that always making a lot of noise,” said one parent.

The Minister for Education and Culture Honourable Myron V. Walwyn via the Government Information Service (GIS) on Monday May 11, 2015 issued a release in which he stated that a school board system would be introduced at the school as part of the pilot programme that exists at two other schools in the territory.

This announcement to have the school board urgently instituted came on the heels of recent protests by parents of students of the Claudia Creque Educational Centre over several conditions at the school.

“On June 27, 2013 the Minister for Education and Culture, Honourable Myron V. Walwyn announced that in September 2013 the ministry would be implementing school boards at a few pilot schools across the territory, namely Elmore Stoutt High School, Bregado Flax Educational Centre, and Althea Scatliffe Primary School. The Claudia Creque Educational Centre will now be added to the pilot programme,” stated the GIS release.

It further said the board will assist in the overall effective management of the school. It will ensure that issues are resolved faster; the day-to-day management is more efficient; teachers have the opportunity to focus on maintaining exceptional classroom teaching strategies and practices; and that students can learn in an environment that allows for academic and personal development and growth.

Long overdue

“I as a parent, this is long overdue. There will be more accountability from all the stakeholders.  Hopefully it would mean that. ‎Any concerns we have will be dealt with in a more timely manner,” said another parent who also stated, “I think that there should be a parent, a teacher, a community member as well as the principal and someone from the ministry, at least a representative from each of those groups [on the school board].”

On the other hand, another parent said, “My concern is that it will not be easy because a lot of the people are closely related. But I think that spread would best serve the school. ‎I would love to know what the role of the board is. Does it include hiring, firing of teachers, discipline? Is it expected to take over the responsibility of the Teaching Service Commission? How often will it meet? For it to be effective it has to play a major role, meet often and with the school body so that it is active as an entity and not just on paper,” said the parent.

Parents also unanimously agreed that, in addition to the school board system, one of the first tasks they think the Ministry of Education should be working on is the public image of the school. “Students need to develop a sense of school pride. Some parents need to pull up their socks and be adults [also].”

The Education Ministry’s press release had also said that the solutions to the school’s challenges include ongoing leadership training for educators; specialised initiatives to strengthen the teacher-parent-student relationship; and the re-organisation of the school and its teaching structure by September 2015.

However, one parent wanted to know if alleged indiscipline by teachers would be investigated.