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Finally, Compromise At Faith Nazarene
posted (September 11, 2015)
For this entire week, the 400+ students enrolled at the Faith Nazarene Primary School had to stay home while the Management, the Ministry of Education and the Teachers Union tried to mediate a dispute between the teachers and the principal.

The teachers collectively went on strike and refused to conduct their classes because they want the school's management to remove Principal Policarpia Pech. They have a long list of reasons why they have no confidence in her as leader. Pech has responded to their allegations, as rumors and hearsay, and she categorically denies them.

Before classes resumed last week Tuesday, the Management carefully explained to the teachers that they had done enough by bringing evidence to a tribunal conducted by the Teaching Services Commision. After that, it would take time and due process to remove Pech, if the allegations were true. Well, the teachers decided that a full hearing and such a tribunal would take too long, and so they decided to take direct action and go on strike when Pech showed up for classes on Monday. That's basically in effect since Monday, and it appeared that it wouldn't end because the teachers insisted that they would not work with her.

That position softened today after extensive intervention by all the oversight bodies in education all this week. The result is that come Monday, classes at Faith Nazarene will resume classes as per normal. How was that achieved? Well, our news team was in San Ignacio today, and Daniel Ortiz reports:

Daniel Ortiz reporting
For the 4th Day this week, Faith Nazarene Primary School was closed, and its entire student body stayed home. The relationship between the Principal and teachers remains strained and adversarial.

Just after 1 p.m., however, the Management, the Teachers Union, the Principal, the Education Ministry Officials, and the teaching staff exited prolonged meetings which took several days to complete.

The result is that the strike by the teachers will end by way of an uneasy compromise. So, classes will resume Next week Monday. What was this breakthrough option which appeased the teaching staff and the embattled principal?

Raymond Shepherd - General Manager, Faith Nazarene Primary School
"You will note that the representative of our principal is right next to me and so we are here to make a statement based on a compromise agreement we arrive at. We have agreed that the principal is, has been and will continue to be our principal. Secondly, that based on her submission in the form af an application for long leave, we as management will proceed to recommend to the commission that it be approved. Thirdly, that during that process, if it is approved, we as management will pursue a transfer within our management only to another school for the principal. That will be triggered by a written request from our principal and then we will support and forward it to the commission for its approval. We are appealing and encouraging our parents to send your children to classes on Monday, as our staff is here, all there weekly schemes and lesson plans are ready and they are ready to teach on Monday."

Daniel Ortiz
"As the representative of the principal. Is she (we can't say happy, we can't say content) willing and able to own up to her obligations on the part of the compromise?"

Leroy Banner - Attorney for Policarpia Pech
"Basically most of the agreement came from us because from day one she was saying that it was very stressful. Let us come together for the interest of the children. So from day one she was of that opinion. Today is just putting together all those points and so on. So she is much pretty much in agreement with it."

So in the meantime, the the principal remains the principal.

The immediate effect - apart from the loss of classes - is that the teachers and the principal are forced to work with each other. In light of all that has happened, is the professional relationship between both sides permanently poisoned?

Raymond Shepherd
"The situation is still very tense. But as mature and professional people we understand in the process of negotiation there is a word called "compromise.""

Daniel Ortiz
"The entire working relationship here, she wouldn't show up to work until whatever moves are made, but the teachers won't want to work with her and you are having that sort of difficulty. Is that something that she has considered how that would affect her ability to manage this school as principal?"

Raymond Shepherd
"Very much, because that's the main reason why she wants to leave, because she would replace an environment where she would be alone and you cannot work effectively in such a situation and therefore she thinks the best thing is to step aside and go somewhere she will be peaceful."

So, even though the teachers strongly believe that they had just cause to take such a forceful action against the Principal, did they do the right thing by collectively withholding their labour?

Leroy Banner
"To create an avalanche where you don't like your principal, instead of follow due process, you would just go and strike. So it's very damaging. It can have an effect on our education system and the ministry needs to send a message that you cannot take matters into your own hands."

Daniel Ortiz
"There is that obvious question that a worrisome precedence is being set in the way. This one was resolve because it appears though the teachers may have their very legitimate reasons which is unproven at this time, that a a culture will be created of (we don't want the principal anymore, let us band together and run her out of town). Is that a consideration on your mind?"

Raymond Shepherd
"The precedence that I want to see set here is that our principal came to agreement. We will now forward the request to the authorities for their approval and that whatever action the authority makes, that then we will comply with the decision. So apart from that I will not make any comments."

Luke Palacio - National President, BNTU
"Due process means that you must prove what you are saying. So even if they have their allegations, it may appear justifiable to them or to anybody else unless it can be proven. Because at the end of the day, we have to ensure that natural justice would have been applied. That no point should the teacher be disenfranchised, Should the principal, if it's a principal be disenfranchised and so in fact the discussion we've been having this morning has to do with due process. Once due process is followed, there should be little difficulty in resolving issues."

But, since these are career educators, they earn the benefit of the doubt. So, it seems wholly irrational and implausible that they would waste an entire week of their students' education on nonsensical allegations, simply because they want to run the principal out for malicious reasons.

Daniel Ortiz
"You say, you all have this position that there is absolutely no evidence to prove any of these allegations, but in creole we say "kids don't stone at an empty mango tree.""

Leroy Banner
"I don't know why they would do something like that, but what they had, the allegations that they took before the teaching commission were baseless. So I can only go by what is before the commission. There is nothing before the commission. You know that we have different personalities and from time to time we would not get along with our bosses and so on. But that doesn't mean that you should go on strike. The point is if they think that Miss Pech is guilty, then support it with your evidence and up to today there is no evidence of any wrong doing at all and therefore what they are doing is illegal."

As noted, the compromise involves the principal being granted an application for long leave. Then, while absent from school, she is hoping that another application for transfer will be granted. The only body which can grant these 2 requests is the Teaching Services Commission. Both sides believe that the Commission will look favorably on these 2 applications - if only to defuse a deadlock between adults that's mostly hurting the kids.

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