Parents protest to have principal removed from school
There was a heavy police presence as residents of Santa Familia surrounded the school and protested in its environs over a string of allegations against the principal of the Roman Catholic School. The demonstration went off without a hitch but the message of the parents was unequivocal, they demanded the removal of the principal. News Five’s Isani Cayetano was in Santa Familia and has this report.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
Classrooms at Santa Familia RC School remained closed this morning as more than a hundred parents proceeded to the compound, posters in hand, chanting their battle cry. What today’s demonstration signaled could be the end of a fourteen-year reign for Antonia Flowers as principal of Santa Familia’s only Roman Catholic primary school. Her removal comes at the height of controversy surrounding management of the school’s resources. Among the many supporters of her ouster is village council chairman Millard Tun.
Millard Tun, Village Council Chairman
“There are many allegations. Look at, if you can see the football field, that’s the football field. Look at the library, that was for the school and the principal, according to the villagers she removed it and her sister lives in the library so I think that is more than enough.”
Present to begin a thorough investigation into claims made by villagers is Isaura Williams, District Education Officer for Cayo.
Isaura Williams, District Education Officer for Cayo
isaura williams
“What we are hearing are allegations and we do not go with allegations so I brought out a team here. We have our members of regional council, I have my assistant education officer and we will be doing our investigations to start with. So we will investigate if those alleged cases are true or not.”
Among the many points argued is that Flowers wanted to create hegemony of the school’s administration. Preceding her was her father and it is said that she was paving the way for her son to succeed her.
Millard Tun
“It’s kind of a nepotism that her father, yes, was the principal, then she took over and now she said it in a public meeting. That’s what the villagers are saying that she is paving the way for her children and that is what we are here to at least show that we need service.”
Directly affected by Flowers’ rigid control of the school are the three hundred students enrolled at Santa Familia RC. According to one parent things got so bad that in order to transfer her children to the school she was required to pay an unreasonably high registration fee as well as the cost of the chairs they would sit on.
Villager
“I came to Mrs. Flowers and I told her if she could accept my child here noh, transfer from Santa Elena school to here because I live and I grow here so and she said that no she cannot take them, accept them if I don’t pay all the registration for the seven of them and buy the chairs; seventy-five dollars for each chairs plus buy the books. So one year my kids were not in school, for a whole year until now I transfer, I put them in Billie White School now they are going there.”
Transferring Flowers, however, cannot be an independent move by the Ministry of Education as the school is being managed by the Catholic Mission. Their representative was a no-show at the protest.
Millard Tun
millard tun
“I have a letter here sent; it was faxed to Mr. Bernardino Pech. Here it is, he did not send no one to at least say well he will address the matter. It’s like ignoring us. It’s like just looking at us and just laughing at us and that’s why my people took it angry because he ignored this invitation.”
What the relevant parties have agreed upon is that an acting principal will replace Flowers as soon as possible.
Millard Tun
“In the interim, according to Mr. Luis Carballo who met with us this morning, he told us that they will ask Mrs. Flowers for her safety purpose not to go to school and they will send a principal from outside. He didn’t tell us who but he will call me this evening sometime around three o’clock to tell me or to give me the answer.”
Until word was received as to who that temporary replacement would be parents and students stood outside the schoolyard in the presence of area representative Elvin Penner who was called in to assist in mediating the situation. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
Good, exactly what I had said protest………………………………….. protest against the school when the case broke open.
A principal without principle should not be allowed so much power, next time he just might invade a country directly.
This situation happenning in Santa Familia R.C. school is prevalent throughout the country of Belize. There is no accountability with school resources. I am proud of the Santa Familia residents that are standing and asking for a change. I also think that the Ministry of Education should take note and make the necessary changes.
some principals feel that they are not acountable to parents. they ask for donations, both finacial and materials and do fundraising with it. thats the end of it. parents want to know how much is raised and how it is spent. afterall they had contributed and therfore have a right to know how it is spent. parent must know what the school have and dont have so they can easily understand the situation/condition of the school. principals should not be allowed to stay extra too long because eventually parent loose trust and confidence and no longer want to participate. a breathe of fresh breeeeze is always good
That’s true.. this is happening countrywide. Am glad st familia took the step and show courage. Now, it would be nice to have channel 5 follow up on this story and gave another report a week from today. Continue to follow up until justice is served. The principal should be held responsible for the parent’s hard working $$. The school should be audited and if any funds missing or mismanagement of finance then the principal and those responsible should be punished to the fullest! that’s the only way the other school will learn!
It’s about time something is being done about this. While these are just allegations, their merits should be investigated. For sometime the people in the village have had strong suspicions of wrongdoing and with reason. The accused principal has done nothing to help her cause. In fact her action, inactions and lack of leadership and appearance of self serving are what contributed to her demise. Let the proper authorities proove the facts and let the catholic church as managers of the school make the right choices and not be intimidated into protecting a “monster” .
I’m with “I support”…but just as how the principal feels he/she is not accountable to parents…that’s the same way these politicians and public officers such as Police and others who work in Government offices feel they are not accountable to us when we are their REAL BOSSES…We pay their salaries then they turn around and treat us like trash
I agree that an investigation has to be carried out and if the principal is found guilty something has to be done about it. However she is inocent until proven guilty. I believe that while the principal is being acused of wrongdoings, there are many teachers at this school who are delinquent in other ways. To start with many of them are not qualified to be in a classroom. Many of them don’t even speak proper English and therefore can’t bring across the message to the students. In this regard, if the principal is to be removed, many of the teachers need to be removed as well. I can remember that sometime last year, there was a teacher who reported that none of her students passed. I asked myself how could this be possible? To me this teacher should not be in a classroom because she is definately not doing her job. How comes the parents didn’t protest for this?
If I was the principal of this school, I would publish the names of all the parents who owe, especially since some of these same parents ought to be ashamed that they have never ever paid for their children to be in school.
I don’t understand why the teachers don’t have the Principal’s back when she has been there for them.