THE parents of four minor children were yesterday charged with failing to provide efficient education to them. Charles Henry and Michelle Pisano appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and pleaded not guilty to the charges, which stated that, for two years, they failed to provide efficient elementary education for their children aged six, seven, twelve and 13 years.
Head of Schools Welfare Department, Mrs. Yvonne Arthur informed the court that the children were provided with assistance from the Ministries of Education and Human Services but continue to be absent from school.
Arthur requested on behalf of the Ministry of Education for the court to make an order compelling the parents to send the children to school regularly.
The magistrate said, however, that she could not make the order requested as the defendants pleaded not guilty and the welfare officer will have to prove that the parents were, indeed, not sending the children to school before she could compel them to ensure the children attend school regularly.
The parents were released on their own recognisances and the cases were transferred to another court for tomorrow. (Nathalene DeFreitas)