Hazel to get La Pastora report in mid-March

EDUCATION Minister Hazel Manning has asked parents of the La Pastora Government Primary School, to hold their hands on protest action over issues which are affecting teachers and, by extension, classes at the school. The minister is expected to get a report on the problems at the school by mid-March. Her request was reportedly made on Monday when she met with officials of the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at the ministry’s St Clair offices. An official of the PTA told Newsday yesterday, they requested a meeting with the minister concerning issues at the school which have affected the staff of 16 females and one male.

Those issues resulted in a silent protest by teachers last Thursday. However, before that incident, members of the PTA were allegedly prevented from holding a meeting at the school. The official told Newsday the PTA executive was mandated to meet with the minister. The members of the PTA were summoned to a meeting on Monday by Manning where they relayed their concerns and asked for a speedy resolution to the issues at the school. They complained that the matter was affecting their children’s education, as teachers were “frustrated, uncomfortable and stressed.” They also told the minister that they would take protest action to highlight the issues at the school.

However, one PTA official said they were requested by the minister to hold their hands and “to have patience,” as the ministry was investigating the teachers’ complaints. He said Manning promised to keep the PTA updated and that she expected a report with recommendations on how to deal with the matter at the school by mid-March. The PTA has also asked that ministry officials meet with parents to alleviate their fears. The ministry agreed and a school supervisor is expected to meet with the PTA next Thursday. Earlier this week, the ministry issued a statement saying they were working with the Teaching Service Commission to expeditiously resolve the issues raised by the teachers. Yesterday, officials of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) met with staff members at the school about the matter.