Minister of Education Weighs in on Pine Street Preschool Debacle

The situation at Pine Street Preschool in Collet, where two teachers have been removed for failure to qualify themselves in order to renew their teaching licenses, was addressed by Minister of Education Patrick Faber today.  Not only is the kindergarten in the minister’s constituency, he also says that ample time was given for the teachers to meet the requirements prior to the ministry moving in.  According to the Deputy Prime Minister, one of the teachers went as far as requesting a political favor to waive her ineligibility.  The minister’s comments to the media succeed a meeting on Wednesday between MOE and parents of children attending the preschool.

Patrick Faber

Patrick Faber, Minister of Education

“It is unfortunate that what is taking place there is happening.  It did not have to happen like that.  The situation is very simple, one that all, certainly you in the media are familiar with now.  There was a move by the Ministry of Education to ensure that teachers get their license.  The two teachers at that institution in fact were given enough opportunity, they were given enough opportunity.  They were given the five-year provisional license.  You remember for early childhood that in fact the government was very lenient and once that provisional period was up, I think it was back in 2016 that most people’s provisional licenses were up and we started to go with the special permit to allow teachers who had completed a portion of their studies to get an extension, so to speak.  But you will remember that for early childhood that we said very specifically and clearly that they would automatically qualify.  So all early childhood teachers who did not have the pedagogy or the training to get your full training were given this permit and so for those two teachers they got the eight years.  I can show you information on my, where they messaged me to say, “Minister, can you do a political favor?”  In fact, one of them even votes in my constituency and tells me about hand washing hand.  I am for the children; I want the best quality of education.  It is unfortunate that they have twisted this to become some kind of ill will on the part of the Ministry of Education, but really it is not.”