ECC: Sack 3 principals in delinquency crackdown

The Early Childhood Commission (ECC) has recommended the dismissal of three principals heading government-operated institutions over their “flagrant disregard” for the established standards of the Ministry of Education.

The ECC has also asked Minister of Education Fayval Williams to shut down 68 delinquent schools it said are in violation of Section 3(1) of the Early Childhood Act, which bars unregistered early childhood institutions (ECI) from operating in Jamaica.

ECC Chairman Trisha Williams-Singh, in a March 15, 2022, letter, urged the education minister to exercise her authority in accordance with Section 22(1) of the act, which gives her power to shut down any institution believed to be endangering children.

“We have reason to believe that a number of these schools are not adhering to the operational standards of the ECC, which places our nation’s children at risk,” Williams-Singh’s letter, which was seen by The Gleaner, said.

It said the continued operation of these institutions puts children at risk of injury or death.

Against this backdrop, the ECC requested that an order be made in the Gazette stipulating that the schools “be closed”.

Of the 68 schools, the leadership of Kingston’s St George’s Girls’, Pindar’s Valley, and Moore’s infant departments were criticised for their stewardships of the ECIs. The latter two are located in Clarendon.

Pindar’s Valley principal Omar Thomas was accused of being repeatedly absent from the school, where an unhinged restroom door is alleged to have fallen on an ECC inspector during a visit.

“The ECC is recommending that the leadership of the schools should also be changed due to consistent and flagrant disregard of the established standards of the Ministry of Education and Youth.

“In cases where there is no ready alternative for students attending the ECI, then leadership change is urgently needed and a warning should be issued,” the letter read.

It said that without a change in the registration status of the schools, the ECC could not provide assurances that the learning environment is safe.

But principal of Moore’s Infant Department, Wendy Miller-McKoy, told The Gleaner Wednesday that the ECC’s recommendation “is nothing more than politics”.

Declining to comment further on that statement, Miller-McKoy said that the institution remains unregistered because of the ECC’s lethargy.

She said the school had acceded to requests by the commission to provide documents that were mandatory for registration.

“I really can’t understand why this would be put out there that we have not complied. All the documents have been submitted,” she said when contacted.

The principal added that the school has been compliant with most of the standards set out by the ECC for operations and said in the areas it fell short, steps are being taken to address the challenges.

“We would have tried our best to submit the things that were required,” she said.

Thomas, in the meantime, said Pindar’s Valley has been closed since March 2020, when Jamaica recorded its first COVID-19 case. He said at that time, classes were moved online.

Additionally, he said that the school is currently undergoing repairs.

Thomas said despite not seeing the report from the ECC’s assessment, which was launched on Wednesday, the commission may have erred in recommending closure or the change in leadership.

“I guess ECC would need to take a closer look at their records,” he said.

Valrie Brown, principal of St George’s Girls’, declined to comment on the ECC’s recommendation when contacted by The Gleaner.

The institution is said to be operating above student accommodation capacity and is in breach of the ECC’s health and safety standards.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com