Principal told to ‘mind her business’ over student’s poor attendance at school

PRINCIPAL OF THE Sandy Bay Government School, Hepcie Roberts received a stern warning recently when she made an intervention on behalf of one of her pupils.

Speaking at the school’s anniversary thanksgiving ceremony on Monday October 3, the principal was commenting about tardiness and absenteeism at the institution.

She made mention of a case where a female student was seldom at school since the start of the new term.

SOME MEMBERS OF staff and students of the Sandy Bay Government School at the anniversary thanksgiving ceremony

“Recently, I attempted to get one student to come to school because she had been present for just three days since the school term reopened.

“This attempt resulted in me receiving a message via WhatsApp, telling me to mind my own business,” the principal revealed.

As shocked as she was with the response to her intervention, the principal said on Monday, “anything related to the school is my business as the leader.

“I will do everything in my power to ensure that you are here.”

The concerned principal went on to say that “there is no reason to be absent, except if you are sick, or in circumstances that make it impossible for you to attend school.”

Roberts noted that tardiness and absenteeism significantly affect the school’s academic outcome.

“I wish for a day when all students would be in school, something that has not been reflected the the students registers.”

She said further that there are “instances where students are absent for up to 138 sessions per year.”

In terms of tardiness, it was also revealed that there are students who get to school as late as 10:00 a.m. The late comers at the school “are the same faces all the time.”

Another challenge which the school faces is that of reading.

The principal however noted that interventions were made in this area, and she is seeing improvements.

She described reading as “one of the critical skills necessary for learning.”