Teachers appalled after inquiry by ‘insiders’

ENGLISH School staff were yesterday “appalled” to hear the recommendations of a inquiry set up by the Board after teachers delivered a vote of no confidence in the headmaster, a school source said.

Teachers are now poised to begin industrial action next week over what they see as the Board’s failure to do something about the issue. The last chance of postponing such action will be a meeting between school and Labour Ministry officials scheduled for Monday, a staff source said.

The source said the internal committee of inquiry’s recommendations were “totally inadequate”, could not form the basis for negotiations, and proved that such an investigation should not have been assigned to “insiders”.

The staff association has not detailed what form its industrial action would take, but has promised that upcoming GCE examinations will not be effected.

The dispute between staff and headmaster Thomas Thomas is believed to revolve around allegations of an autocratic style of management and allegations that Thomas “rigged” the promotion of a female member of staff to a senior position.

In a statement earlier this week the staff association made claims that “incorrect procedures” had been followed in the appointment of a senior teacher.