“Mighty, Mighty Scatliffe” sign on school no longer!
The school located in Road Town and the biggest elementary school in the Virgin Islands, has dominated most school activities for years, especially in inter-school sports.
News reaching Virgin Islands News Online is that the decision has not been received well by some parents of the school since the Parents/Teachers Association of the Althea Scatliffe Primary School had raised more than two thousand dollars to up-grade the school's surroundings including the new signage.
According to our sources, Minister for Education and Culture Myron V. Walwyn instructed that the newly erected signage, with words 'The Mighty Mighty', be removed from the school and replaced with 'Althea'.
Furthermore, Virgin Islands News Online’s sources within the Ministry of Education and Culture stated that the Minister reportedly directed the school principal that the removal be completed before school re-opened today Tuesday, January 3, 2012.
It is unclear why the Minister made the request, however, his action has been met with outrage by some alumni of the popular elementary institution. When contacted, the Minister said he had no comments to make on the matter and that this news agency should contact the Acting Chief Education Officer.
Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Culture Dr. Marcia Potter could not be reached up to publication time.
When contacted, Deputy Acting Chief Education Officer Jillian Douglas-Phillip said she was not in a position to comment at the time while President of school’s Parent/Teachers Association, Petra Herbert, said she was not aware that the sign had to be removed. Other education officials could not be contacted for comment.
One parent, who has two children attending the school and both her and two brothers are former students, told Virgin Islands News Online on condition of anonymity that, “I like Myron but this was an unwise decision, when you do not know the history of things you should not rush with haste to make changes unless proper research is done. With so much serious issues in Education where does he get time from to have a simple sign that speaks to school pride removed?...I am disappointed in Myron…this is micro-management.”
It was also noted that former 5th District representative Elvis J. Harrigan had made a financial contribution towards the new signage.
The principal of the school, Marieta Flax-Headley, could not be reached for comment up to publication time.
The administration of the Althea Scatliffe Primary School had ensured that the new school term in September 2011 welcomed the children and parents with well-trimmed and clean surroundings, clean walls and classrooms, and new signage that had read "Mighty, Mighty Scatliffe".
“I feel that it is important that the students and parents feel proud of their school so we decided to do a little to our surroundings. We have to say a big thank you to our adopters – Citco and the Jamaican Association as well as some persons from the Bank of Nova Scotia, who came by to assist us with some painting. We said this year we are going to come out looking great and let the parents and students feel good about their environment,” said Principal Flax-Headley in a previous comment on the school’s beautification efforts.
This news agency was told too that the signage on the school fence was done compliments of one of its adopters-Corea’s Cleaning and Maintenance Services.
The Althea Scatliffe Primary School, the principal had previously said, has an enrolment of about 510 students.
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