Quality teaching time lost

THE EDITOR: I have chosen this forum to air my grievances as they will “get lost” at the Ministry of Education or fall on the deaf ears of the administration of the Morvant Anglican Primary School. The school had organised an outing to see a play on February 24, 2005. On the afternoon of Wednesday February 23, 2005 it was announced at the school that those children not attending the play were to report to school at 12.30 pm as the principal and teachers will be going to see the play and there will be no supervision.

How inconsiderate! What about the children who are unable to afford, financially, to see the play? What about the children who were not interested in the play? What about the children who have SEA examinations in a few weeks? The Principal and teachers other option was to make it a two day outing, Thursday and Friday, so there would be supervision at school. Why shut the school down for an outing? I am certain that all the children at the school were not attending, so why all the teachers?

Madam Minister Hazel Manning, these children have lost so much quality learning time last term because of the electrical fire and flooding and enough time was lost the week before Carnival as we were advised to keep our children at home on Carnival Friday. We need more principals like Mrs Greaves and Mr Thomas who thought about the children first!

GAIL SPRINGER
Port-of-Spain