IT HAS BEEN A GRUELLING WEEK OF TESTIMONY before the Frederick Waterman Commission of Inquiry – most troubling for those with a vested interest in The Alexandra School and who are now forced to relive the horrible chapter of the past several months while bracing themselves for what’s still to come.
So far, we have heard from Chief Education Officer Laurie King, Chief Personnel Officer Gail Atkins, former Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Bruce Alleyne, and Permanent Secretary Evelyn Humphrey.
And from all that’s been said by these key Government officials, there is certainly enough blame to go around for the protracted problems between teachers and the principal of the school.
However, quite a bit is presently being heaped on the shoulders of the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) and, in particular, the head of the school’s science department, Amaida Greaves, who allegedly abandoned her class for an entire school term.
You may recall that it was principal Jeff Broomes who first levelled this allegation during his address at the school’s annual awards ceremony last year and that this was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, leading to industrial action in January by over 30 educators employed at the St Peter school.
Since then, the BSTU has been harping on one goal only – the “separation” of Broomes from Alexandra.
We were even told by Acting Permanent Secretary Bruce Alleyne this week that the union had submitted six ways that this could be done, including early retirement for Broomes at age 58, suspension, negotiations for a payout, retirement by order of the Governor General and the imposition of sanctions by the Public Service Commission.
But the Ministry of Education accepted none of these suggestions.
Chief Education Officer Laurie King further testified that industrial action by the teachers in January had prevented an investigation into the conduct of Greaves, who, incidentally, is the public relations officer of the BSTU.
Her alleged actions have been deemed by Chief Personnel Officer Gail Atkins to be in breach the Public Service Act’s code of conduct and warranting dismissal had the correct procedures been followed.
We eagerly anticipate the responses of both Greaves and BSTU boss Mary Redman to the charges.
We also look forward to hearing Broomes’ testimony, given Alleyne’s claim that he also acted improperly in hiring three temporary teachers without consultation.
We hope we will also have an opportunity to hear from Minister of Education Ronald Jones as to why this matter proved too big for him and his ministry and, indeed, from chairman of Alexandra’s board of management, Keith Simmons, who has been silent up to now.
But where will it leave us all?
In particular, where will it leave the students at Alexandra, who have already lost valuable teaching time on account of this unseemly conflict, which has permanently sullied the reputation of a most prestigious high school?
At the end of the day, the commission can only recommend a course of action to the Governor General, as has been the product of previous commissions of inquiry. But, we ask, will this one result in definitive action that will satisfy Barbadians’ craving for a useful outcome after all the time and money spent?
Whichever way it all unfolds, the problems at The Alexandra School cannot be allowed to carry over into next term.
