TEACHERS attached to the Linden School for the Differently Abled are hoping to be transferred into another building at the commencement of the new school term so that the school can come under the auspices of the Ministry of Education.
The school is categorised as a non-governmental institution and is managed by a committee. Head Teacher Luanna Boyce has levelled several allegations against the committee, including lack of support to possible misappropriation of funds.
Boyce, who was visibly distraught while speaking to reporters on Thursday, expressed frustration over the unsafe conditions at the school, which has a student population of 25.
“Louvres falling out, floor falling apart, they have a big creature living up there (speaking of the ceiling), bats living in the backroom, snakes frequent here, last week we had a very close encounter where a child was playing along the fence and the snake was on the fence and the child was standing there…,” she said.

The headteacher also reported that five teachers attached to the private institution are employed by the Ministry of Education.
Regional Education Officer, Marcia Paddy, and Regional Executive Officer Gavin Clarke, Boyce said, give a lot of support to the school, but cannot do major repairs on the building since it is not Government-owned.
“We get a lot of support from Government because we are staff here, we get biscuit and juice, we have stocks in terms of cleaning agents; whenever we have activities, REDO and REO would assistance in terms of transportation to go where we have to go,” she said.
The headteacher noted that the Ministry of Education has expressed interest in adopting the school, but the committee is not in agreement with this.
Meanwhile, the children and teachers continue to suffer.

NOT CONDUCIVE TO LEARNING
“We’ve been asking to move from there… things falling apart and we are here, the flooring falling apart, the toilets not so good, the deaf class is close to the septic tank and when that belch it gets them in a mess at the back because they cannot do anything [while] they are there.”
She claims that on most occasions, when teachers ask the committee for financial contributions for school projects, they would be met with negative responses.
The teachers, the headteacher said, are now forced to host fun-raising activities to finance projects, including paying for Mashramani costumes.
“I don’t want to say that they are involved in fraudulent activities, but they are collecting funds and they haven’t done anything for here. I have been here for four years and I cannot remember them bringing a toilet paper… when you ask them for money to do anything, ‘oh ask the parents, we ain’t get money to do that’,” Boyce said they are told by committee members.

A business donates $45, 000 to the committee every quarter.
In light of financial difficulties, the teachers want to open a separate bank account for the school, but cannot receive the relevant documentation from committee members to do so.
Boyce is hoping that in the new term, the school can move to the Mackenzie Primary School compound where there is adequate space to accommodate the 25 differently-abled students.
Responding to the allegations levelled against the committee on Thursday, Secretary Ava Chapman said steps are being taken to eliminate some of the burning issues.
“It’s a non- profit organisation. It has been there since 1973. This holiday period, we have plans to do some work, as soon as something is wrong, we try to get it, we don’t get people bringing in money every day, our funds are audited and therefore I can tell you, nobody is stealing any money or the money is locked off in the bank and we don’t want to use it,” Chapman said, as she expressed willingness to divulge more at a later date.