Should the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), constitutionally appointed to look after the hiring, placement, transfer and disciplining of teachers, be made to bow to the wishes of a group of parents and the adamant shouting of the board of the Maha Sabha in the person of Sat Maharaj?There is little doubt that parent-teacher associations have become functional and necessary in the management of schools-both in this country and in many others across the world.But it cannot be permitted that the commission would ignore its own findings into the allegations against the principal of the Tunapuna Hindu School, Sita Gajadharsingh-Nanga and hustle her out of the school as if she has done some egregious wrong to heed the shouting of the PTA.If such a precedent is set, we will be one step away from chaos with every PTA and denominational board deciding on who goes and comes and much else.Principal Gajadharsingh-Nanga was attacked with full force by Maha Sabha Secretary General Maharaj for allegedly committing every wrong possible, including wearing inappropriate clothes to school. She has responded by charging that Mr Maharaj had been after her for refusing to discriminate against non-Indian workers and to resist placement of non-Hindu students at the school.
The PTA has obviously taken the side of Mr Maharaj and has been literally hounding the principal out of the school. At one point Mr Maharaj suggested that there could be violence at the school because the parents were so upset.Having got reports on the allegations and counter allegations, the TSC concluded there was no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of the principal. But very importantly, the TSC has noted that there are other allegations of a very serious nature against a teacher at the school which need to be investigated.The involvement of the Minister of Education is reported to have been at the level of peace-making but he has said on several occasions that it is the TSC and not the minister who has responsibility. Suddenly, he is reported to have been saying that the Education Act gives him power to intervene in the situation and trump a decision of the TSC.He also took a definitive position that the supervisors from the ministry who investigated the matter were right and the TSC was wrong.
The bullying tactics used by Mr Maharaj, the PTA president and now the minister must be a worrying factor. At the same time, the principal wants out as she fears for her safety.However, it is not an easy situation to be resolved. In the first place the TSC has to find an equivalent match for the principal at another school. Second, how can the TSC, as it is reported to have said, "jump the line" and place Mrs Gajadharsingh-Nanga ahead of others who may have been waiting for years.Surely, to do so would open the TSC to ridicule and possibly to some form of legal action, perhaps before the Equal Opportunities Commission and even the courts.On the part of Minister Gopeesingh, even if it is found out that he does have the power of intervention, to use it in such circumstances would be high-handed and dangerous.Where is such intervention to end? In which circumstances will he utilise that power to intervene? And what will the consequences of such intervention be?The logical thing would be for the TSC to diligently pursue the placement of the principal while all others back off.However, this matter has triggered the need to look again at supporting partly or wholly segregated schools. The Concordat does give the denominational secondary schools the 20 per cent consideration, but to have primary and secondary schools which absorb hundreds of millions in public funds discriminate in such a total manner needs debate.