Students protest over transfer of principal

A CONTINGENT of armed policemen was called to the San Fernando  Senior Comprehensive School yesterday after pupils staged a rowdy protest  against the transfer of the school’s principal. Scores of defiant pupils, bearing placards and wearing yellow ribbons, refused to  heed to the officers’ commands to return to their classrooms, shortly  after 8.30 am.

Shouting “We want Bacchus to stay,” some of the pupils even tried to climb over the locked gates. Newsday understands the pupils were informed by members of staff that yesterday was to be the principal’s last day and he was being transferred to a school in Couva. this decision apparently enraged pupils who threw desks and chairs about the school and refused to desist from protest action. School principal Jean Bacchus pleaded with the pupils via the school’s PA system to return to their classrooms.

By this time several armed officers from E-999 and the San Fernando CID and parents had arrived at the school and were attempting to get the children to return to their classrooms. Eventually, the pupils disbursed but opted to milling around the school instead of returning to their classrooms. Communication’s specialist at the Ministry of Education, Hilton Braveboy said the Teaching Service Commission was solely responsible for promotions and transfers of the teaching staff.