Over to you, Minister Morris Dixon
Published:Wednesday | March 5, 2025 | 12:07 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
Here we go again with the Ministry of Education’s inept approach to resolving incidences of principal and board chair impasse. Such a conundrum in any institution will invariably lead to deterioration in the school climate and a governance malaise. A Gleaner article dated February 26, 2025, revealed that the reported altercation (impasse) represented the “ culmination of a long-standing, bitter relationship between the school’s principal and chairman….”.
This protracted leadership instability has to be laid squarely at the feet of the Ministry of Education (regional and central), with the recently appointed minister being exempt from culpability. Moving forward, the board chair’s tenure should be in serious doubt. I suspect there may be uncertainty as to the role and limitations of a board chair. The chair does not have a role in the day-to-day operations of the school and should not have intruded in the principal’s staff meeting. Such an egregious intrusion must be rebuked by the ministry. The reported strained relationship between the principal and some teachers also raises questions about his stewardship. The situation at St James High requires immediate and far-reaching change, as toxicity should not be allowed to persist. The school needs a new board chair and, possibly, a new principal.
On a related issue, Minister of Education Dr Dana Morris Dixon hinted at a need to carry out a legislative (and regulatory) review to lay the foundation to strengthen the ministry’s ability to act more efficiently in resolving problems when they arise. However, it is my understanding that the minister already has significant powers to dispense with problems at all levels of the system. Dr Morris Dixon’s pronouncement has drawn a terse response from those with responsibility for church-owned institutions. I hope that she does not back down from including church-owned schools. The fact is, these schools operate at the significant expense of the Jamaican Government and should not be allowed to operate outside the ambit of the ministry’s legislative framework. Over to you, Minister Dr Morris Dixon.
RICHARD KITSON-WALTERS
Sandy Bay, Clarendon