Teacher transfers limited to preschools
The Ministry of Education has denied going against its word on the contentious issue of teacher transfers.Some educators will be moved, according to a Ministry spokeswoman, but those decisions affect only preschool staff.The response came after Shadow Education Minister Walton Brown raised concerns.Mr Brown questioned Government’s consistency on the transfers, which were called off earlier in the summer after parent-teacher associations at two primary schools protested.The Progressive Labour Party MP said he’d been contacted by teachers who, despite the revocation of transfers, had received notice that their positions would be shuffled within the Island’s public school system.However, the spokeswoman said last night: “In July, the Permanent Secretary of Education, Mr Warren Jones, noted that a decision was taken by the Ministry of Education to rescind all teacher transfers. The decision was taken based on the Supreme Court Ruling of August 2012, which required consultation with Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs).“Preschools do not have PTAs as students only attend preschool for one-year. Therefore, preschool teachers are not included in the decision and any transfers at the preschool level will proceed.” She added: “These are the only transfers which are take effect.”Education Minister Nalton Brangman has promised an evaluation of the transfer policy with the input of PTAs in the coming school year.