Commission: Permit the Principal to discharge her duties

In a release, the TSC said it received “an unsigned report from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education which indicated that investigations were inconclusive, and ongoing.”

The Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS) also issued a release in which Secretary General Satnarayan Maharaj suggested a threat of legal action, and said the SDMS would “move to protect our parents and children who continue to suffer because of inaction.”

The TSC said it was an independent body with power to appoint, transfer and discipline members of the Teaching Service. “To date, no allegations of misconduct have been made against the Principal of the Tunapuna Hindu School by the Ministry of Education which will require suspension from duties of the Principal.”

The TSC at a meeting on July 13 noted the contents of a letter dated June 17 from Gajadharsingh, the principal, which was copied to the Schools supervisor in which she informed the Commission of problems being experienced at the school, and requesting a transfer to a government primary school.

“The Commission acknowledged that the issue was not properly before it, having not come via the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, but in an effort to avert a potentially volatile situation when the school re-opened, it took the initiative to facilitate an informal investigation while referring the matter to the Permanent Secretary for investigation.”

The TSC held separate discussions with school supervisors, the principal, Satnarayan Maharaj, secretary SDMS Education Board of Management. Subsequently, the TSC got correspondence from Maharaj asking for the principal to be transferred to a government primary school.

“The Commission in keeping with Regulation 137 asked Mr Maharaj to give specific reasons for the request for transfer in respect of the principal.”

All correspondence was sent to the PS for investigation, and the Commission directed that while this was ongoing Gajadharsingh Nanga “should carry out her duties at the school.”

In the SDMS release, Maharaj said the TSC response was the latest failure by “state agencies to act in the interest of over 500 children at the school.” He said the matter has been referred to attorneys for the SDMS for possible legal action against “agencies who have failed to discharge their duties.” Asked what the SDMS meant by it would “move to protect parents and children” Maharaj referred to the TSC statement which do not recognised the “potentially volatile” situation at the school.

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