DEAR EDITOR – Please allow me space in your ‘letter to editor’ column to reiterate on the allegations that were laid against the current administration of White River Community High School last year.
School year begins on the 25th of January.
Students and parents are looking forward to another hard working year and so, I believe the same is also with parents, teachers and students of White River Community High School.
Along this line of thinking, I wish to make a strong and solemn warning to parents and stakeholders of the school.
Before the school actually begins, the community should demand the school administration to clear up some of the allegations that were laid against the school administration as highlighted in one of your issues prior to the school break for 2009 holidays.
The concern parent (Donnelley) did raise some serious allegations that contributed to poor development of the school, both infrastructurally and academically.
In his submission he (Donnelly) made a call for the principal Charlie Tango and his brother George Tango to explain some of the issues that clouded the minds of many school supporters, the public at large, particularly White River community, and here are some of the issues he highlighted.
He questioned why there were no Parent & Teachers meeting throughout the successive years he and his brother were in office.
White River Community School is co-owned by the community, and that is something school administrators ought to bear in mind.
Therefore, issues and other matters that were school related, the community has all the right to know and to share views accordingly.
But sharing information in a P&T meeting can only do this. An opportunity parents had been deprived of for sometime.
Parents and other stakeholders need to be regularly informed of what had happened to the school, and by doing so, that trend of practice should help both parties in addressing school issues.
Therefore, I strongly urge that, as soon as school begins, the school admin calls a meeting to answer and to explain the following.
1. Why did the principal and his brother remove the school generator?
2. Why there were no P&T meetings?
3. Where are the school electrical tools?
4. Why EU grants were paid to family members?
5. Why the school money used for campaigning?
6. Where did you get the money to pay for the land above east end of the school?
7. Where is the school’s Deep freezer?
I am amazed that even just one issue is enough to cause someone to be more cautious and mindful about his/her dealings, but looking at the following allegations, one cannot believe but questions the principal and his brothers’ integrity.
The school has been functioning illegally. This is because there hadn’t been any proper school board to attend to school matters as required by the Education Act of Solomon Islands.
In fact, the school board of 2004 is still responsible for school matters, which are illegal according to the school constitution that requires only two years in office.
There hadn’t been any new election to elect a new board, so, the one currently in office is illegally functioning.
Mr Principal, why have you not convened any P & T meetings? Were you scared that parents, teachers and other stakeholders would expose your dealings?
Remember, you can fool a person sometimes, but not every time. You are to be answerable for your own doings. So, be a man and prepare to give accounts of what you have committed.
Just returned from a short trip from the islands on business interest and I was disturbed by a rumour that was spreading like wild fire on the island (Bellona) about the White River School generator that went missing two years ago.
I learned that the generator that was hired for SDA church programs during the Christmas and New Year’s festivities was allegedly that of the White River school generator.
Reports had it the generator was secretly removed during the night when there were no people around and was transported to the wharf and sent home to Bellona.
At whose permission, the board?
It is now used as a private property. This should be treated as a civil case to allow police investigation into the matter.
I also learned that all the hiring was allegedly made to the principal’s brother who is the custodian of the generator.
For goodness sake, can you believe that someone who claims leadership even at the national level entertains the kind of attitude? That is a joke.
Reliable sources from the school and the EU office have indicated that cheques were paid to some of his family members.
Teachers in the school also witnessed how the principal issued cheques to individuals probably with the hope of winning support for the general election.
But interestingly, the recipients of the cheques did not have their names appear on the payment vouchers; instead all in ghost things like stationery and other school unreal expenses.
Unfortunately, this is a normal practice in the EU retiring process that is being practiced by many of the school principals including the one at White River School.
Plus the schools set of electrical tools that worth more than $60,000.
The school’s deep freezer that worth thousands of dollars, and of course the school generator that is worth more than $80,000.
And then I thought to myself, are the principal and his brother not carrying any guilty conscience?
Or how could you be so bold in removing the school’s properties and claim ownership of them?
Are you not ashamed that the community is talking at your backs? Or, how could you be so comfortable about your disgraceful actions that you become so quiet about?
This is what I call Hypocrisy.
Do not impress others that you are somebody when you know really well that you’re nobody and have nothing.
Generally, teachers are known to be the low paid officers in the country. But how could you afford all those very expensive items? Loan? Probably, but I doubt it very much.
Every time I passed your little hide away corner on the island and saw rays of light from your house, I wondered if this is an extension of White River school.
As one of the concerned parents, I strongly suggest that the community should quickly demand for a parent meeting to get the principal and his brother to explain to the community all that were laid against them.
The fear here is, both of them are contesting in this coming provincial and national elections and could jeopardise the school’s finances and properties.
White River School is not a venue where you can get materials and fortunes, like what is happening now, but rather, it is a learning institution for our children.
The properties and any other materials that are available to the school are for their use. Should it be classrooms, school hall, chalks, books, generator, electrical tools, spades, knives, deep freezers, cooking stoves etc… they are purposely put in there for the children’s use in enhancing their learning.
The principal and head teacher are there as caretakers but not owners. You are there to make sure that students have access to them.
Therefore, I appeal to the White river community to do what it can to save its school from becoming a laughing stock to the other sister schools in the city. Very poor discipline both of teachers and students.
White River secondary had performed poorly in last year’s forms 3 and 5 national examinations.
This is what the school administration should opt to improve but not to reap off the school. I mean, robbing, stealing school properties.
None of its form five students were selected to any of the national secondary schools. And yet the principal is so complacent about it.
I am of the view that what is in the principal’s mind is, as long as grants and fees are available, that is enough. This is truly irresponsible and greedy, self-service.
These are some of the pressing issues the community should pressurise the school administration to humbly accept and clear them out to avoid future support from parents, stakeholders and the community at large.
Finally, Mr Principal, the suggestion here might not go down well with you and your associate, but mind you, if nothing is done about them, then the worse is still to come.
Don’t treat us parents like we’re ignorant. Please, call for a public meeting.
Save White River Community High School for our children.
Tom J. Tipa
Parent/fee payer
White River
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