PHILIPSBURG: --- The chairman of NIPA supervisory board Antonio Aventurin buckled to severe pressure from members of the community on Wednesday and submitted his letter of resignation. Teachers at the learning institution were informed of Aventurin’s resignation on Wednesday. Aventurin and other members of the NIPA board are under severe criticism on social media after the board of NIPA terminated several local teachers, while they chose to grant a three-year contract to the daughter of the Minister of EYS at NIPA.
Several members of the community went directly after Aventurin after he dismissed the female Culinary and Arts teacher Renata De Weever who recently took students of NIPA to Miami and they did extremely well.
Minister of EYS Silveria Jacobs said on Wednesday at the Council of Ministers press briefing that she was highly criticized by the social media the past days for the dismissal of the teachers. While the Minister said that the board was left with no choice but to dismiss the teachers because there were not enough registered students for the new school year she did not explain how it was possible for her daughter to obtain a three- year contract. The Minister said that even the Inspectorate of Education cautioned the board about the amount of registered students compared to the amount of teachers they employ. She said that NIPA board has taken the decision to conduct some rigorous campaign in order to attract students. The Minister further stated that the inspectorate warned the board of the lateness in making decisions regarding the hiring of teachers. Jacobs said that the situation at NIPA these past months delayed the decision making especially since the members of the Supervisory Board are not working for the Institution full time.
The Minister further explained that the board of NIPA hired an interim director while they are busy conducting interviews to hire a new director.
The situation regarding nepotism and dictatorship at NIPA began ever since Aventurin was appointed chairman of NIPA.