The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

CENTRAL Andros High School students returned to school yesterday following three days of protest by their parents over the Ministry of Education’s decision to transfer a mathematics teacher from their school to the North Andros High School.

According to a source on the island who did not want to be named, the students “acted as though they hadn’t left” when they returned to school yesterday.

Nonetheless, the source said teachers were disappointed that the protest ended and by their inability to join parents in voicing their disapproval over circumstances at the school.

The source said: “I think the teachers up to yesterday were very downtrodden after the principal made an official announcement about students returning. Teachers would’ve taken the side of the parents. Teachers felt disappointed because they couldn’t affect the situation further. They have not been able to be at the forefront of this battle because it isn’t one they could’ve gone into without consequences for themselves.

“They would’ve been reprimanded. Teachers were visibly disappointed. But when the question was posed to them to carry this further, even if it may impact their salary or position, only one teacher said yes.”

On Monday, the president of the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) spoke to Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald.

Afterwards Mr Fitzgerald said the parents decided to end the protest and send their children back to school.

Mr Fitzgerald explained to the president that the ministry would not change its position, emphasising that the decision to move the teacher was made in light of class sizes and teacher-student ratios.