Concern is mounting at a Corporate Area special needs institution as staff members have expressed unwillingness to work with a member of the school’s leadership.

A well-placed source at the institution has explained that teachers are reluctant to work with the school’s acting Vice- Principal, reasoning that she is a pre-trained teacher and “unqualified” to hold such a position.

The Education Regulations (1980) defines a pre-trained teacher as one who has not had the benefit of formal training and certification in teacher education by a teacher training institution.

When asked whether a pre-trained teacher can be appointed Vice-Principal, Minister of Education Ruel Reid said: “strictly speaking, no — only if the minister approves an exemption”.

But the Jamaica Observer understands that the individual has been acting in the role for over two years.

A source close to the institution said staff members have complained that they are “no longer willing to take instructions or work with the individual” — a stance which has caused discontent and brought a cloud of sadness over the school.

“Right now the school is in disarray, it’s unsettled really. You find that the teachers are not respecting each other, things are not settled, they don’t even respect the principal sometimes,” the informant said.

The matter was brought to the school board in March but to date no action has been taken.

“I have also been to the Ministry of Education and [the individual] I spoke to…said this should not be happening. I also went to the JTA (Jamaica Teachers’ Association) and highlight the problem and they say it should not be happening. I went to the NIA (National Integrity Action) and the same thing I get, it should not be happening,” the whistle-blower said.

But the school has remained tight-lipped as efforts to confirm the reports with the principal or vice-principal failed. Upon calling the school’s office multiple times, the Sunday Observer was told that the senior officials had been “really busy” or “just stepped out of the office”.

When contacted, school board member Iris Soutar told the Sunday Observer that the matter should be left to be dealt with internally.

“Why would this be newsworthy?” Soutar questioned. “Maybe the person who is causing the problem is the one that’s bringing it up to you and you’re just fuelling a situation to make it worse. I must admit that I am assuming that your inquiry is to form the basis of an article and I do not wish to have this matter publicly adjudicated. In other words, I am not confirming or refuting any statement that you have made, I am objecting to the fact that a matter that is internal to the school, before it is addressed properly internally, that one should read about it in the papers,” Soutar said.

“The party involved has been working with the schools and employed through the Ministry of Education for a number of years, and I feel very confident that the Ministry of Education would not have allowed her employment for such a long time if she was inadequately qualified,” Soutar went on.

When questioned, an employee at the Ministry of Education told the Sunday Observer that vice-principals are required to have a “at least a first degree in education, should be in a supervisory position within the institution” and have training from the National College for Educational Leadership (NCEL) as an asset.

NCEL was developed by the ministry to tackle poor leadership in schools and improve the sector. Under the Aspiring Principals’ Programme, the ministry has facilitated the training of hundreds of aspirants — education professionals with leadership capabilities who are desirous of being school principals.

The participants are taught strategies for school improvement, increased student performance, greater stakeholder involvement, sound financial management and schooling that encourages the development of the child. It provides a standard credential, the Professional Qualification for Principalship, to which the Ministry of Education and school boards will refer before authorising the hiring of principals of public schools.

The programme, which began in 2014, is offered in conjunction with The University of the West Indies and the ministry.

To apply to NCEL, teachers are required to have at least a first degree in education or related discipline, three years’ teaching experience, and be currently registered with the Jamaica Teaching Council.