Irate parents who dropped their children off to public schools in New Providence on Tuesday had to reorganize their plans after learning that there would be no classes as scheduled.
But President of The Bahamas Union of Teachers Ida Poitier assured that the teachers were not on strike on the first day of what was expected to be the new term.
Mrs. Poitier told The Bahama Journal that classes were suspended for a day after officials of The Ministry of Education called on teachers to attend a meeting at the Kendal G. L. Isaacs Gymnasium.
“[The meeting] had nothing to do with the Bahamas Union of Teachers,” Mrs. Poitier said.
“It seems as though there was some confusion at The Ministry of Education as to whether this meeting would take place or not. Teachers were prepared to work.”
Minister of Education Alfred Sears explained on Tuesday that the meeting was called to further discuss a number of recommendations that came out of the National Education Conference, which was held last year.
One of the recommendations that came out of the conference was the establishment of subject councils, which are geared at improving the delivery of information in specific subject areas.
Minister Sears explained that the overall aim is to improve the quality of education in the public school system.
But many parents saw what happened on Tuesday as poor planning.
Erica Thompson, a mother of two, said not only was she inconvenienced because her children attend different schools, but she missed a job interview.
“I was looking for a job and [the situation] held me back,” Ms. Thompson said. “The people in the yard told me that [there was no school].”
Jonathon Rolle, a fifth grade student of Palmdale Primary, told the Journal that he was sent home upon his arrival to school.
“My teacher told me go home because they had to go on to the gym, no school today,” he said.
By: Royanne Forbes-Darville, The Bahama Journal
