EBENEZER--The high absenteeism amongst staffers at the Preparatory Secondary Vocational Education (PSVE) section of St. Maarten Academy continued on Tuesday when eleven staffers were absent, down from the eighteen who stayed away on the first day of the new school year on Monday.
Of the 11 staffers who were absent, seven were teachers – one absent due to surgery; one is an administration assistant and three are student care personnel (one is off island). Seven of the 11 persons who were absent on Tuesday also stayed away on Monday and two were teachers who worked on Monday. PSVE has a total of 50 staffers: 39 teachers and 11 other staffers.
Asked how the absenteeism affected classes, PSVE Principal Lavern Nelson said school continued. “Duties and tasks of absent staff were carried out by present staff members. Year level coordinators ensured that all new students were catered to and provided with necessary information and tours for their smooth transition to our school,” Nelson said. “Continuing students followed their schedules for the day and will continue to do so.
“Our goal is to continue to educate the country’s children. We also aim to ensure fair processes and procedures for our staff, while improving teaching and learning at our institution,” she said.
PSVE staffers have expressed a number of concerns about the management style and actions of Nelson and have called for her removal from her position. The workers want her reassigned, however, Chairperson of the Foundation for Academic and Vocational Education (FAVE) Roland Duncan has remained firm that the board will not remove Nelson. Duncan also considers the workers’ complaints frivolous and baseless.
The workers are backed by their union Windward Island Teachers Union (WITU), which believes that the teachers’ complaints are valid.
Duncan had told The Daily Herald on Monday that teachers who fail to provide a doctor’s note for their absence from school will not be paid. The board will also consider disciplinary actions against teachers who continue to stay away from school with no valid reason. He said if it becomes evident that they are just disturbing the operations of the school then they are breaching their labour contracts and the board will act accordingly.
