Parents protest outside Education Ministry

The angry, frustrated parents armed with placards and a student beating an empty tin, left the school at Myers Lane, Belmont, and walked around the Queen’s Park Savannah to the offices of the Ministry of Education at Alexandra Street, St Clair. They then gathered in front of the entrace to the minister’s office at Hayes Street, as they sought a meeting with ministry officials.

Parent Kathy-Ann Richards told Newsday there were no teachers for two Standard Three and one Standard Four classes.

She claimed that the Anglican School Board and the ministry knew there were no teachers, but measures were not put in place to rectify the situation at the start of the school term on September 5.

Richards said there are about 24 students in each of the three affected classes.

She said the situation was unbearable, as she now had to stay at home to tutor her son, who is preparing for the SEA exams.

She lamented that it was "too early in the school term for this type of thing, it is our children’s future." Ri-chards said she and another parent went to the school supervisor’s officer prior to yesterday’s protest, but they failed to meet with an official.

She said replacement teachers must be sent to the school immediately.

Efforts to reach ministry officials about the outcome of a meeting with the parents were unsuccessful.