Teachers and students only found out The Educational Centre is to close when they read about it in this newspaper, multiple sources claimed last night.The centre, in Devonshire, helps students whose behavioural issues are so severe that they have been removed from mainstream schooling.On Friday, Education Minister Dame Jennifer Smith announced it would be shut for cost-cutting reasons, and its teachers would be moved into the main schools instead.“Currently, we have ten teachers plus other staff, serving a total of seven students. Not the most economical use of people. It is our intention, at the end of this school year, to close this facility and relocate the staff on site in our schools,” she told the House of Assembly.She said they would be offered “the same services in a more constructive manner”.However, one source close to the centre told this newspaper last night: “Staff at The Educational Centre only found out about this in Saturday’s Royal Gazette. You would think you would talk to your employees first before you release a statement to the general public.”The Education staffer, who asked that their name not be printed, added: “The numbers that Dame Jennifer gave were inaccurate. She reported that we have seven students. There are 19 of them in addition to suspended students, which last year totalled in their 100s.“The question one would beg to ask is, is the policy now changed? Will suspended students now remain in their school or be under parental supervision? You haven’t consulted with any of the staff. They pick up the newspaper and find this out. Does the union know?”The source questioned how students with behavioural problems could be taught in mainstream schools.“They cause so much disruption in middle and senior schools they have to be removed because regular lessons cannot be conducted because of their behaviour. So what’s the plan for them, will they go back into regular classes?”Another source, who asked that their name not be published, said: “We had no idea that this had been decided. We had rumours for many years but have never been approached by the Minister or anyone in Education.”The source said there are around 12 full time students, although this varies, and there are three teachers, not ten.“I’ve no idea where they got the figure of seven students,” they said.A third source also challenged the figures and estimated the number of full-time students to be around 12.“Even if the ratio is ten to ten, you’re dealing with the most challenging situation,” they said.“I can definitely say the programme needs to be revamped,” added the source, who feels some students would benefit from mental health intervention or training in technical skills.And they remarked: “I don’t care what type of challenges those kids have, they don’t deserve to wake up in the morning and read their school is going to close.”When The Royal Gazette contacted Declan Harris, director of the centre, he said: “I have no comments on those issues.”Dame Jennifer did not respond to a telephone message and e-mail and neither did her spokeswoman.