SEVERAL staff members of the Early Years Learning Centre in Portmore, St Catherine, have quit and are urging parents to reconsider registering their children at the institution, which has been labelled “delinquent” by the Early Childhood Commission (ECC).

According to chair of the ECC, Trisha Williams Singh, the institution is not registered to operate in Jamaica. The administrative staff was approached last year to comply with regulations, but, to date, they have reportedly not done so. The ECC is now deliberating the way forward and told the Jamaica Observer that the school could be shut down.

Former vice-principal of the institution, Shelly Ann Jones, who resigned last month, warned parents about registering their children at the institution, stating that teachers have not been paid for December. She added that some educators are not planning to return to the institution for the new school term that starts this week.

Jones said the principal stated that the school had no money to pay staff for December.

“[The principal] was letting me know that there are parents who still have outstanding salaries, which to my knowledge, I don’t know of that. I have been talking to parents, and the majority of parents I’ve been talking to, they paid their fees for the [December] term already. Maybe one and two had something outstanding, but that didn’t add up to even $35,000, so there is no way that could’ve paid staff,” she told the Sunday Observer.

Reports are that some parents have since pulled their children from the institution, and teachers are resigning rapidly after not receiving payment for last December.

According to former staff members, calls to the principal and messages requesting their salary have gone unanswered.

“I have my kids to look after, and it is still a struggle for me. I have my son’s school fees to sort out…I don’t pay my child bus man as yet, and I’m not hearing anything. There is nobody backing for us,” said Jones.

“Imagine going through the Christmas holiday, it was bad enough [the principal] never paid us for August, and I had to find money in order to get my son prepared for school for September, and you don’t look at it and say, ‘It’s a holiday.’ I had to go without. Thank God for family members. What would I have done?” she questioned.

Jones alleged that there are several administrative issues at the institution, and for months staff members worked to keep the school afloat for the children and parents who had already paid tuition. However, she said many have now reached their breaking point and are leaving the institution. She said parents have also been warned to withdraw their children.

“I am mad honestly, and I wish I had people who would bat for the staff right now, because it is unfair. We showed up every day, regardless of what was happening, because of those children and the love that we have for those children, the respect we have for those parents, and to know nobody can’t respond… We worked for it, we showed up, all when some of we nuh have nuh bus fare we showed up. It’s just really unfair,” she said.

ThebSunday Observer received three contact numbers for the principal of the institution; however, multiple calls to each number for a comment went unanswered.

A former staff member, who requested anonymity, said that parents who did not heed the warning to withdraw their students could face a harsh reality if the school resumes this week.

“They are planning on opening school for the new term, but I am saying with staff not being paid, each time they are going to have a different set of staff members with people resigning because no old staff member is returning. I’m not sure what’s going to happen there, because at the moment they don’t have a staff. I don’t know who is returning from last term, but most of us said that when December is over we are not going back,” they told the Sunday Observer.

“I am angry because, at the moment, nobody wants to be working with no payment. It doesn’t matter what the job is, everybody wants to be paid because, bear in mind, if we don’t get paid we can’t provide for our needs. Nobody likes picking on others for stuff that they need, especially in these times when everybody is thinking about themselves, their kids, and what they are going to do and all of that,” they added.

Another former staff member shared that she had big plans for this year. However, the lack of payment will severely affect her ability to proceed.

“It’s a new year…so I am kind of feeling a lot of emotions. I can’t explain it really. It is just distasteful. Nobody wants to be working and then when it’s pay time you can’t receive payment,” said the former employee.

“I wanted to go back to school, so I needed to get certain things done. I wanted to pay even half of the tuition, but I can’t because he does not answer us. The last message I sent, I said if [the principal] doesn’t plan on paying us, let us know, instead of ignoring us. For parents, some of them already paid for last year or some of this year. Now everybody has to be starting over, and that’s unfair,” the former staff member added.

In a warning to parents, the former employee urged them not to go back to the institution and to do background checks on any school at which they wish to register their child.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for parents to register their children there. You have to do your investigation. You have to do your checks on places before you send your kids there, and do not ignore the red flags. Yes, it looks nice on
Instagram and everything, but did you do a background check on the place? You have to do those things,” they said.

“What you see online is not what you will get face to face,” the former staff member warned.

WILLIAMS SINGH… the school has not applied to the Early Childhood Commission and does not have a permit to operate in Jamaica

An empty classroom. Former vice-principal of the institution, Shelly Ann Jones, who resigned last month, warned parents about registering their children at the institution.