Behind the lock-out of a school principal: Going after the principle

Properly understood, the relationship between the State, the denominational boards, teachers and students is governed by the 1960 Concordat and the Education Act. A teacher in a denominational school is accountable on four levels, at least: to the parents, denominational board, Ministry of Education and the TSC. So far the relationship between the principal and the denominational board has been publicised. We do not know much about the parents, the ministry and the TSC over the past two years, when the problems were on the boil.

To get to the point of lock-out, something has not been functioning. There is established under the Education Act various bodies with responsibility for primary school education. These include an advisory committee; the local education district; local advisory boards and committees; the three-member board of management of assisted schools and the supervisors of schools.

Principals are responsible for the day-to-day management of their school and co-operation with parents in the execution of these responsibilities. But the TSC and supervisors have specific responsibility for the observance of the law, the supervision of the due performance of the functions of school managers and issues of gross misbehaviour, gross inefficiency or other conduct unfitting a teacher for employment. So what failed?