Today we asked the Minister of Education for an update on the situation at Canaan SDA High School. That's where a teacher was caught preying on a teenage student through social media, but when the parents took the matter to the principal, it took an entire week before the ministry was informed - and they may have only heard about it when the story hit the evening news.
The Ministry of Education promised a report in 25 days - which expires tomorrow. We asked the Minister about it today:
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Education
"The ministry of education has been fully engaged in the effort. The chief and the CEO have met more that once with all the parties involved in this matter. So, it is a very serious matter. As soon as we get the final reports then a determination will be made. But, certainly as I have said consistently, there is zero tolerance for that kind of behaviour. There can be no, there has to be zero tolerance for that type of behaviour in our education system, so at the end when we receive the final report decision will be made."
Jules Vasquez
"Is there a fraternity both in the unions and in the church managements that protects predators and simply seek to focus on process that, these people have to get due process, but at the same time there are some behaviours as you have pointed out that are so objectionable that we must act first and deal with process later, because vulnerable children are being harmed. Is there too much of a fixation on well, he is one of us, he is one of the union or he is one of this management and that they seek to protect these people."
Francis Fonseca
"I think unfortunately that has been in some respects the past track record. I can say to you that in my discussions with both the church management and the B.N.T.U. they have made it emphatically clear that their position is that they too have zero tolerance for that kind of behaviour, that they will not in any way shape or form provide protection or shield any teacher who is accused of that type of behaviour. Of course, they quickly add that they have to ensure that there is due process."
Jules Vasquez
"I understand that due process has to be observed, but once something as alarming as text messages where courting is happening. At that point a suspension has to be made and then the due process. But what concerns me is that this wait and see approach is taking like somehow these text messages were all fake or something like that. I mean, where is the urgency in action? Where was it at Canaan SDA when these text messages were brought to them by their parents?"
Francis Fonseca
"Well I have been the first one to be very critical of the school. to say to them they should have been no delay with them bringing this matter to the attention of the Ministry of Education reporting it to us. So, that has to be fix. That cannot happen again. With technology today all sorts of things can happen with text messages and other things, so there has to be some process in place that provides for a proper investigation to verify and substantiate these allegations that are made. But once we are clear on what has happened, then action must be taken decisively that there is no space in our education system for predatory behaviour at any level."
