The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

SUPPLY teachers have been temporarily placed at some government schools to address the teacher shortages on Grand Bahama, according to a Bahamas Union of Teachers official.

Ministry of Education is utilising the Supply Teacher Programme at the Eight Mile Rock High, St George’s High and the Sister Mary Patricia Junior High schools.

Quinton Laroda, area vice-president of the BUT, said that the vetting process for many of the permanent teachers have not been completed by the police.

“That really is the hold up because the Ministry of Education will not place any teacher in the system unless they have been vetted by the police,” he said.

He said the ministry is using some former teachers who are in the Supply Teachers Programme to serve as substitutes in the schools as a temporary measure.

“This has helped, especially at EMRHS where there was a critical teachers shortage. But the situation is still not ideal there,” said Mr Laroda.

Following the opening of new school year, the institution was in need of two administrators – a senior master and senior mistress – in addition to two technical teachers for carpentry and auto-mechanics, and teachers for biology, history and geography.

Principal Ivan Butler issued an urgent appeal to the Ministry of Education to address the shortage as it was placing students at a great disadvantage in the area of science. He also noted that the school’s head boy had been transferred at the request of his mother to St George’s High in Freeport due to the lack of science teachers.

Mr Laroda said that Eight Mile Rock High School now has a permanent technical teacher on staff. However, he noted that there was also a significant shortage at the St George’s High School, where teachers are needed in English Language. Many of the permanent teachers there are still awaiting vetting, he said.

“We felt that focus should be directed toward EMRHS because it is a community school and the school has been through so much in the last year with tragedies, etc.”

According to Mr Laroda, Sister Mary Patricia Junior High is in need of maybe one or two teachers. “For the moment, the MOE has provided supply teachers at these schools until permanent teachers can be placed in the classrooms,” he said.