FIVE concerned parents in Western Province have questioned the action by the provincial education authority for removing their children’s names from a school designated to them by the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development in the recent secondary school placement.
One of the concerned parents, who refused to be named, said her child was placed at a school in the Ministry’s list but when they went to enroll, her child’s name was said to have been removed by the school authority.
Instead, she was told by the school authority to find another school for her child.
Another concerned parent said the action by the school authority is very confusing because they thought the placement by the Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development (MEHRD) is final.
“We want some clarifications and answers to our questions from the Ministry of Education if school principals or education authorities have the right to make another list from the ministry’s list.
“Is this process right or not?” the concerned parent asked.
Another parent from Vella told Solomon Star Gizo that they travelled a distance to enroll their children but were told to transfer their children to another school even though their children’s name were placed by the Ministry for that particular school.
“We spent a lot of money on fuel and other expenses to meet the school requirements.
“We are in a financial crisis situation, not all parents have jobs to be able to cater for their children’s education.
“Some parents especially those low income earning parents and others in the rural areas are finding difficulty finding money. Therefore, school principals and education authorities should understand the situation we are all going through at the moment,” another concerned parent said.
According to the concerned parents, they were told by the school that Year 7 placement for the school was 90 plus and the school had to trim the number down to 80 as directed by the education authority.
It was from these instructions that the five parents were told to find other schools for their children this year.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Gizo
