School throws out 100 students

The Education Ministry’s tardiness in making proper arrangements with St Bede Vocational School, Mt St Benedict, has left approximately 100 students shut out for the rest of the new school term. Parents and students were shocked to learn via a letter last Friday that they (the students) had only  three days left at the school. The letter from the Abbot of Mount St Benedict, Rt Rev Francis Alleyne stated: “To date, proper arrangements between the Ministry and St Bede have not been finalised, that is, no formal contract has been signed and nothing has been paid to the school.”

The students, who previously attended Curepe and Mt Hope Junior Secondary Schools, were supposed to sit the 14-plus exam this year. However, an assessment was done at their respective schools last year and they were assigned to St Bede’s in November. Alleyne informed parents that the school did not have proper authority to have the students in the school and also could not meet its financial commitments for example, salary for staff, maintenance, equipment and material. He said the school finished the last school year by taking a “substantial loan” from the Abbey with the expectation, each day, that the matter would be rectified.

Alleyne said at present the school did not have a legal agreement with the Ministry nor finances but it did have a “big loan” to pay. Parents were told that from September 17 their children could no longer be accommodated and St Bede will only accomodate its private students. Alleyne referred them to the Ministry for clarification of their children’s future. Lorencia Ballack, whose sons Michael and Matthew are students of St Bede’s said: “The children were getting their things for school and to get a letter like this, saying they are no longer accommodated, this brings them down.” She too is hurt and disappointed. Ballack said she has purchased shirts costing $35 each, a steel tip shoe costing $250, an overall costing $150, welding jacket and goggles. Ballack said the parents have been also paying $20 for a security guard.

She said when the students were sent to St Bede’s the Ministry was supposed to assign more teachers but this never happened and the students had many free periods. “Some of them run away from school, they would rather go home than stay in school doing nothing, Some end up fighting or stealing from other students.” She said the Curepe and Mt Hope Junior Secondary School students were sent to St Bede’s as part of a project to send some students to vocational schools. They were allowed to wear their secondary school uniforms until they purchased the new uniform.