Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) officials and several parents are hopping mad after turning up for a meeting at Alexandra School and being confronted with a locked gate.
More than three dozen personnel were denied entry to the school yesterday though, according to BSTU president Mary Redman, permission had been sought and granted from the school board, the Ministry of Education and the principal.
“This is unjust and not right that something like this should occur for an activity that relates to the constituents of the school. I am disappointed that someone should countermand the instruction of the chairman and violate the Education Act, Section 23, and regulations (5),” said Redman, who noted the security guard had confirmed the meeting was logged in his book.
BSTU were scheduled to meet with the Parent-Teacher Association and the old scholars.
Redman said she would write the ministry and query why there had been another breach at the school.
“All of these bodies are stakeholders in the school and there is no reason why there should be locked out from using the facilities.”
Only last week Minister of Education Ronald Jones promised that issues at the Alexandra Secondary School were being resolved for a smooth intake of students at the beginning of the next school term.
Noting that the Ministry had received calls from concerned parents as to the effective running of the school, Jones said that he would like to assuage their fears.
Meetings are also to be scheduled with the principal of the school, members of the board of management and staff over the next few weeks.
The minister also reiterated that a full inspection would be carried out at the school under the direction of the Chief Education Officer during the upcoming school term. (MK)
