Parents & Teachers @ BFEC stand up to Walwyn over student’s return!
It was the beginning of the 2017 school term when Hon Walwyn ordered a male student, who in October of last year was responsible for brutally beating a young female student who had to be hospitalised at the state-owned Peebles Hospital on the main Island of Tortola with head and neck injuries, to be returned to school.
It was alleged that while standing along the corridor on the school’s compound, the female student of Dominican Republic descent was pushed by the same 14 year old, who is a student of the school.
After inquiring why he had pushed her, the boy reportedly threw a plate of food in her face and started to deal her blows.
During the beating, he allegedly kicked her in the face and stomped on her head.
Following the incident, the Royal Virgin Islands Police (RVIPF) charged the young man with occasioning actual bodily harm, according to a police statement last year.
Walwyn sends him back to school; PTA says NO!
However, parents and teachers stood up to the Education Minister demanding that the student not be returned, after Mr Walwyn ordered the student back at the same school with the victim.
At a Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) meeting held on Monday February 6, 2017 the body voted overwhelmingly to ask the Minister and the Ministry not for the student to return to the Bregado Flax Educational Centre (BFEC) in Virgin Gorda.
It is our newsroom’s understanding that if the Minister did not agree to the PTA’s request parents were willing to lock down the school and teachers were willing to go on strike.
A teacher called our newsroom this morning February 13, 2017 to advise that the student is not in school anymore and it appears that “Mr Walwyn has listened for once.”
When asked about the situation with supplies for his school, the teacher confirmed that the BFEC is not given any attention by the Ministry “despite all the talk and spin by the Minister and at the PTA meeting held last week, monies were collected to assist the school in securing supplies.”
Shame on Walwyn
Last week, the Enis Adams Primary School sent out a Facebook message begging parents for toilet paper and paper towel for the school. Most of the schools have been going through the same issues, according to a Ministry official; however Mr Walwyn told the parents to ignore the unnecessary appeal and his Ministry has the supplies.
Many of the schools and parents have called Minister Walwyn a liar over this matter, as other schools have faced the same situation for months despite making numerous requests of the Ministry of Education and Culture.
The public and teachers were outraged when he wasted a million dollars to build a small wall around the Elmore Stoutt High School just before the 2015 snap election when schools did not even have toilet paper or water.
40 Responses to “Parents & Teachers @ BFEC stand up to Walwyn over student’s return!”
Now let's stand together and vote his funny man a@$$ out
necessary. Let us be aware of those watching at a distance and watching us tear each other down, rather than building each other up.
Many voters are asking the same question.
It sounds and feels good to have someone to blame, but it sounds and feels better to know that problems are being solved.
There is a student support services unit that needs further development to aid with these issues that create a hazardous learning environment in schools that are already plagued with other problems.
ESHS what are we waiting on? Imagine a small school had the strength to do it. I guess the head isn't working to or is worried about kissing the Minister's butt. It also shows that you are concerned about your students and TEACHERS. I need to come work over there. Ha ha I am so proud of you guys.
The speaker of the house brought back a young man there trying to play most concerned, but she had no idea or care to see what the teachers have to deal with. We should have stood up together with this situation. Thought our head had the b---- like the one in VG. Guess not.