The Ministry of Education is being heavily criticised for expelling two students who were allegedly involved in an altercation with lawmen at Ottos Comprehensive School.
Those denouncing the action include teachers inside and outside of Ottos Comprehensive, as well as the police.
Their disapproval comes a day after one of the expelled students, Kimani Gardner, said the authorities rushed to expel him without hearing his account of the incident with lawmen.
Educators told The Daily OBSERVER that although they acknowledge police presence was needed at the institution, they caution the ministry about how it applies its zero-tolerance policy.
According to teachers, the ministry stepped over its boundaries when it kicked out the two boys without doing a thorough investigation, which should have included statements from the accused.
On Thursday’s Voice of the People, a caller asked Education Minister Dr Jacqui Quinn-Leandro why the ministry did not get the boys’ statements before expelling them.
She quickly responded that she has confidence in her technicians who conducted the probe and believes the right decision was made.
“If his side was seen by everyone, there’s no need to hear,” the minister said. She added that the Ministry of Education has received a report from the principal as well as the police and “what was seen” are indeed sufficient.
What is also bothering some teachers is that the authorities expelled the two students without consulting the school to find out their track record.
Educators pointed out that even though they acknowledge the ministry has the right to expel, such a situation should have warranted more investigation.
Meanwhile reports reaching The Daily OBSERVER are that lawmen too are expressing misgivings about the whole situation.
One officer reportedly said he is definitely in favour of the expulsion of one of the students but questioned the ministry’s decision to get rid of the other.
Kimani Gardner’s appeal for an audience with education officials has so far fallen on deaf ears.
(Source http://www.antiguaobserver.com/?p=67532)
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