A female teacher at the Robert Village Hindu School, who allegedly told one of her student to “drink pee”, was locked out of the compound yesterday morning, even as members of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) mounted a protest against her.
However, T&T Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA), which had to intervene to get the teacher back into the compound, is claiming now that the instructions to lock her out were given by a senior school supervisor from the South Eastern Education District.
“We are calling on the Ministry of Education to investigate the action of this school supervisor,” TTUTA second vice-president Lynsley Doodhai told the T&T Guardian, saying this was an abuse of authority. He said the teacher went to her car to retrieve something and was called by members of the media covering the protest.
When she left the compound to respond to the media, instructions were given to the security guards to lock the gate. He said when the teacher asked the guard to allow her back in, she was told she was not wanted on the compound.
Doodhai said he was able to get a school supervisor to go to the school and get the problem resolved. He said the problem with the teacher was related to an issue she has with a senior school official, adding they have a very large file of complaints submitted by the teacher over the past few months.
He said the union had been practically begging the ministry to deal with the situation. The protest, he said, stemmed from a report sent to the ministry that the teacher had instructed a student to drink urine.
Doodhai said the teacher was unaware such an allegation was made against her yet a log entry was made and reports sent to the ministry unknown to her. He said on that basis a protest was organised for yesterday in an attempt to get the teacher out.
He added: “TTUTA is extremely disappointed with the ministry because they have rebuffed all our recommendations to rectify the matter.” He said the teacher, who has 14 years service, believed she was being victimised.