Philipsburg:--- In complying with the phasing in of compulsory education, the Charles Leopold Bell School is expected to open its doors on Monday to accommodate 110 four to six year old students. Commissioner of Education William Marlin at a press conference on Wednesday called on parents that registered their children to attend school and are not yet in school to visit the school on Friday with their child.
Marlin made clear that unless a person has legal guardianship for a child the teachers would not be receiving them. He said one the objectives is to make sure the teachers have contacts with the parents of the child and not a friend.
The education commissioner said government would have to spend an estimated amount of Naf.700,000 to Naf 900, 000 for the first phase of compulsory education.
Marlin said on Monday he received the progress report on the placing of the undocumented students who registered earlier this year at the department of education. He said several students who were registered were placed at a number of schools but the 110 students were not placed will now attend the Charles Leopold Bell School.
The classes he said would comprised of three-mixed cycle 1 and 2, these classes would have students that are 4 and 5 years old, while there would be 2 classes of cycle 1 year 3, which would have six years old. Marlin said there would be 5 classes , which would have no more than 22 students in each class at the Charles Leopold Bell, which he said, is suitable for the FBE (Foundation Based Education).
Marlin said that already the education department managed to recruit two teachers who recently retired and are willing to take up the challenge to be in the classroom a bit longer, while another teacher would be transferred from one of the public schools to Charles Leopold Bell.
The teacher that is to be transferred he said would act as a class teacher and coordinator while the department is still busy interviewing other teachers that are on island to take up the vacant posts.
Besides the teaching, the teaching staff Marlin said they already identified one of the social workers and the speech therapist from the Public Schools who would be working at the new location for one day each.
Also in place are the cleaners and canteen workers. The commissioner said that public works managed to assemble the desks and benches that were donated to government by Office World. However, government still has to order some 15 computers, they are presently borrowing some books, and other teaching materials from existing schools until the new materials arrive on island.
