School for the Blind remains closed

In a press release on Friday the association advised of its decision to close indefinitely the School for the Blind, located at Pax Vale, Santa Cruz.

According to the release, the decision was taken because of their displeasure with the running of the institution by the current principal, Derrick Mundy. The release stated that the school will remain closed until the Ministry of Education, which appointed Mundy, removes him. The association also demanded that the ministry replace the head teacher Nichola Mundy, the principal’s wife; sign the memorandum of understanding as proposed by the association; and that in future, it consult the association “on the appointment of the new principal and all other teachers” at the school.

In a brief phone interview, last Friday, association executive officer Kenneth Suratt said he was ready to “resist” the ministry if it opposed the association’s decision to shut down the school. He made this comment in response to a threat from the Director of School Supervisors, Ashram Deoraj, “that the police and the MTS will storm the building to ensure that the school will be reopened.” Surratt said, “I told him that we will be ready for action. We want to sit down to resolve the situation. But the Government doesn’t seem to care about persons with disabilities.” In an additional release yesterday, Suratt said the association has not received any word from the Education Ministry and will have no choice but to call on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to intervene to have this matter resolved.

President of the Parent Teacher Association, Alicia Modeste, told Sunday Newsday parents were not pleased with the association’s decision to close the school.

The association started the School for the Blind in 1952 and provided both domestic services and academic training for students. However, an amendment to the Education Act of 1984 gave the Education Ministry full responsibility for the school’s academic curriculum.

The association retained the responsibility for the domestic services at the school.

Attempts to contact Education Minister Anthony Garcia yesterday were unsuccessful.