Concerned Parents Speak Out on the Pine Street Preschool Closure

Officials from the Ministry of Education convened a meeting this afternoon at the Gateway Youth Centre in Belize City. Present were the parents of some thirty-plus students from the Pine Street Community Preschool. Last Friday, the proprietors of the school closed down the facilities after the ministry put in place a new principal and teaching staff at the institution. At the start of the new school year, the former principal and owner of the preschool was told verbally that her license was revoked and that those of her teachers were not renewed. To date, they claim to have not received anything formally, but a ministry appointed staff was installed. Felicia Anthony says that a notice was issued to the new principal that the building will be closed down and now the students are without a preschool. As we said, the Ministry of Education met with the parents to determine the way forward. Following that meeting, News Five spoke with a concerned parent.

Richard Nunez

Richard Nunez, Parent

“When I went to school Monday morning, the school was locked up, the gate was locked up, the gate was locked up and I had to take my son back home because there was no school. It was really surprising to know that kindergarten school lock up and got the kids them out of school when that dah di foundation of schooling. So that was surprising to me. Well we had a meeting this afternoon and they di try dispute what can make the thing corrected and they are saying that they will try and get a building so that the kids can all stay together but that will take a process. That’s still too long. How di Ministry of Education and dehn people weh got a lot of money and thing can’t come in and say yo know what Pine Street Preschool dah fi di kids dehn; we wah get wah building quick. But dehn wah got wi di wait till January. I noh know weh wah happen January. And then when January come dehn might say February, March so we noh know. We di rely pan weh dehn tell wi January. I want my son back in school that’s all.”

Reporter

“So what will you do?”

Richard Nunez

“I wah wait fi di process because I noh want my son goh dah wah next school and pay weh I done pay already and the school year noh reach half way yet. That dah waste a time.”