Teachers at the Bishops’ High School refused to teach yesterday until a first-year student, who has failed twice in the same class and has a record of indiscipline, was expelled.
Stabroek News learnt from a source last evening that according to regulations governing the school if a student fails twice in the same class then that student is asked to leave the institution and seek a transfer to another school. The parents of the student in question, the source explained, were informed that their child could no longer attend the Bishops’ High for this reason.
The school, according to the source, received a call from an Education Ministry official informing that the child would continue attending the Bishops’ High School. It was when teachers saw the student present in the school compound yesterday, fully uniformed, that they made their decision to “sit out” from classes.
“Although this child and his parents were both told that he could no longer attend the school that student still showed up… that student has had many problems with other students,” the source said.
Following the teachers’ decision to take action against what they described as a “brazen disregard for the rules” the Guyana Teacher’s Union lent its support. President of the union Colwyn King, reports said, condemned the disregard for rules governing the high school. However, several efforts made to contact King last evening via telephone were futile.
Meanwhile, Stabroek News could not reach Minister of Education Shaik Baksh or other relevant education officials for a comment regarding the matter.
“That child has had to be taken to the police station and is not dedicated to studies… many teachers have had their authority challenged by this student,” the source explained.
Stabroek News could not ascertain the status of the issue late last night. The Ministry of Education, the source said, will have to intervene because teachers have refused to teach until the school’s regulations are adhered to and the student is expelled.
