COLE BAY--Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU) has expressed concern about the abrupt closure of Charles Leopold Bell School and about what the union says is a "gag order" placed on staff.
Union President Claire Elshot also expressed concern on Tuesday about what she said was the impromptu termination of all members of the teaching staff who are 60 years and older.
Division of Public Education Head Glenderlin Davis-Holiday said in an invited comment via the Press Secretariat that the facility would be used for the Education Care Centre (ECC) in the first quarter of the new 2015-2016 academic year. She said, "It was necessary to clear the facility to allow preparations for renovations and upgrade to host the Education Care Centre."
She added that the teaching staff whose services had been ended were all pensioners. Other staff (Management Team, teaching, administrative and others), were transferred to other schools and will start work at the assigned schools when they reopen for the new school year.
She said all the school's pupils had been placed in one of the public schools.
"Parents worked in close collaboration with the Charles Leopold Bell management and provision was made in close cooperation with the other public schools to ensure that all students are placed," she said. "The placement of these students was priority and still is, and will be addressed on a case-by-case basis."
