An angry mother has hit out at the Ministry of Education, claiming her son was promised a place at West Pembroke Primary School but later had the offer retracted.

Selena Gardiner , 36, said she was unwilling to send Luis Pontes Jr., 4, to Northlands Primary instead because generations of her family had attended West Pembroke.

She claimed that in February this year, while she was homeless, a letter was sent out via a family member accepting Luis into West Pembroke.

However, she said that after moving in with a friend in West Park Lane ? adjacent to the school ? a letter was sent to her via her sister?s address saying that her son was only on a waiting list.

Ms Gardiner claimed that in April, the school Principal Carole Figueiredo told her she had never sent out a letter of acceptance. Ms Gardiner said she had lost the letter in question during a house move.

?My whole family has gone to that school and I know the teachers,? said Ms Gardiner, who said her 17-year-old daughter Darrena Gardiner had attended and that she currently has seven relatives being educated there. ?How would you feel if it was your child??

She said she was unhappy that three parents she knew who lived further from the school than she does had had children accepted. She added that she was displeased that Minister of Education Neletha Butterfield had called her on Tuesday night to say there was nothing she could do for her and that she had received a similar response from Mrs. Figueiredo.

Ms Gardiner said she had not taken up the suggestion to register Luis at Northlands, saying: ?I?m not sending him to another school when my whole family went to West Pembroke. If I have to wait another year, I will.?

A Department of Education spokesman said last night: ?The Ministry has a well established process for student admissions into primary schools, which was correctly followed in this instance.

The case in question included a hearing by the appeals committee, a body which is independent of the Ministry of Education and Development. A space was offered to the parent at another school after it was determined that her appeal could not be upheld.

?Minister for Education and Development, The Hon Neletha Butterfield, JP, MP has personally explained the situation to the parent and is satisfied that every effort has been made to place the child in a nearby school.?