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School Strike At Faith Nazarene
posted (September 7, 2015)
There were no classes today at the Faith Nazarene Primary School in San Ignacio. That's because the teachers spontaneously went on strike. Along with parents, they remain adamantly insistent on the removal of Principal Policarpia Pech and they wanted to make that message clear today - the day when she returned to work. When we got there - the classrooms were locked, a few students were wandering about the compound, and parents and teachers were there as well. The parents voiced their concerns:

Stephanie Moody, Concerned Mother
"We don't want the principal here because she is a chancy person. She is chancing the children. She is charging person that has already paid and who have their receipt. They have proof that they paid and she is still trying to collect. That is not fair, because right now money is hard to get. Everybody is working. I have a son and she targeted my son, she chance my son and she does my son lots of things. As something happens, my son is at her office. She targets my son. That is not fair and like I told the other radio stations, I just hope that she doesn't target our children - we, that are out there. This is not happening just now. This has been happening for 4 years now and the teachers are tired, because she treats the teachers like they are children."

Melba Balan, Concerned grandmother
"We need a change here with Miss. Pech. Because the first week of classes last week my granddaughter began going to school here. She told my granddaughter and my granddaughter corrected her and said that not how to say the word. But Miss Pech took my granddaughter to the office and beat her, because she said no little girl will correct her."

Leroy Banner, Pech's Attorney
"As you are aware that no teachers are working today and we had a meeting with the managers from the Education Department along with Mr. Shepard who is also the manager for the Nazarene Church and basically we discussed with the teachers what are their intentions. If they will continue to strike or will they go into the classroom and teach? Because as you are aware that Miss Pech is still the principal and apparently some teachers have a problem with that and therefore there is stalemate and they are on strike."

Courtney Weatherburne
"The information we are getting from teachers and parents as will is that they have suffered a lot under Miss Pech. They have described to us that their children have been victimized and there is not a very good or healthy relationship between Miss Pech and the teachers. A long list of complaints against Miss Pech. Can you respond to those?"

Leroy Banner, Pech's Attorney
"Those are rumors. What happen is that in May, the general manager of the Nazarene Church suspend her and put them on administrative leave because of those same rumors. They did a thorough investigation submitting what they had to the Teaching Service Commission. At the end of the day, the Commission found that there was no evidence against Miss Pech and that is why they reinstated her back as principal. So what you hear is just allegations. There is no concrete evidence of any mis-practice here at the school. What happen is now is that due to the fact that there are some differences between Miss Pech and the manager himself, they went to this public attack now to cast innuendoes on character."

Police were also called in to preserve the peace. So now while the teachers, parents and administrators are all trying to figure out a solution or even agree on a compromise, the children are missing out on their classes. That is the main concern for this parent.

Mr. Parham, Parent
"I don't have any complaints against Miss Pech and I am not saying that I am taking part for Miss Pech nor taking part for the teachers. I am a parent and I am concerned, not only for my kids, but everybody kids that come to this school and I don't see the right to let the school go on strike and our kids our here punishing for their education. What our concern is that, as parents and they as teachers and principal and the board, they are supposed to sit down and discuss this problem, not bring this problem way far that it is right now."

And that meeting happened today at the school. The General Manager of the school Raymond Shepard met with the parents this morning but he told us that still - no agreement or common ground has been reached.

Raymond Shepard, General Manager, Primary School
"I have met with parents this morning, both our management and the ministry of education representative and we fielded their questions and we provided them with answers. We try to provide an assurance that school reopen and classes continue as per normal. However at this time, we are at an impasse and we are still dialoguing with all the parties."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Can you assure parents and teachers that the school will resume classes tomorrow? Can you confirm that?"

Raymond Shepard, General Manager, Primary School
"We are doing our best for that to happen."

Courtney Weatherburne
"But right now it is still uncertain?"

Raymond Shepard, General Manager, Primary School
"Still uncertain. We are doing our best to ensure that classes resume tomorrow."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Can you tell us how far the parents and teachers are willing to go with this issue if Miss Pech is not removed? Could you comment on that?"

Raymond Shepard, General Manager, Primary School
"No. I can't comment on that. I don't know. My role here is to act as mediator between the two groups and our goal is to ensure that classes starts tomorrow."

Shepard also met with the teachers this afternoon at 1:30 and again - the matter was not settled. Shepard told us that there will be NO classes tomorrow until an agreement is finalized. There will be another meeting at 8:30 tomorrow morning at the school to work towards a compromise.

So, for parents out there, please note that - there will be NO classes at the Faith Nazarene Primary School tomorrow. Shepard told us that 95% of the students did not show up to school.

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