Member of Parliament for St. Mary Central, Omar Newell, is calling on the Minister of Education to urgently approve the recommendation of the Board of Governors for the appointment of a principal at St. Mary High School, warning that the institution should not enter another school year without settled leadership.

Newell made the call on Friday while speaking at the St. Mary Central Tertiary Assistance Programme ceremony, held on the grounds of St. Mary High School in Highgate.

Following the resignation of the previous principal, the Board undertook a recruitment process to identify and recommend a new principal. The necessary documentation was subsequently submitted through the Ministry’s structures, and the matter proceeded to the Teachers’ Services Commission.

On Tuesday, 25th of August, Minister Morris-Dixon stated on radio that all Principal Appointment Recommendations from the TSC the prior week were signed off by her.

“My understanding is that the Board did what was required of it. It conducted the recruitment process, made its recommendation and the necessary reports were submitted. With the new school year upon us, there should be no unnecessary delay in providing St. Mary High with the settled leadership it needs,” Newell said.

The MP noted that the Minister has previously stressed the importance of competent school boards and the quality of persons appointed to chair them.

“I was not a Member of Parliament when this Board was appointed, so I can claim no credit for its composition. But having worked with the Chairman, I have every confidence in his academic qualifications, competence and integrity. If we entrust capable people with the governance of our schools and they undertake a proper process, their work ought to be treated with the seriousness it deserves,” Newell said.

Newell, himself a past student of St. Mary High, said the absence of a permanently appointed principal limits the school’s ability to undertake the long-term planning and execution necessary for its continued development.

“St. Mary High should not begin another school year in an unnecessary leadership interregnum. A school of this importance needs a full-time principal who can plan for the long term, lead the staff, work with the Board and school community, and execute a clear vision for its continued development.”

Newell is urging the Minister to conclude the appointment process without further delay. “The Board has done its work. St. Mary High now needs certainty. I am calling on the Minister to act with urgency so that the school can move forward with the business of educating our children and building on its proud legacy.”