Parents, school clash over toilets, teacher dismissal

Teachers and parents at Sinai Hill Academy, a Kigali City based private Muslim primary school in Gasabo District, have expressed concern over what they call the ‘worrying mismanagement of the school’. One of the problems causing concern amongst parents is the sanitary facilities at the school. Temporary latrines positioned close to classrooms are a health risk. The toilets here are constructed near classroom with constant bad smell that affects pupils’ concentration during class, Albert Mpambara, a parent, complained. Some toilets were temporarily closed after pupils reported the case to the head teacher, Theophile Ruzindaza. The school administration has reportedly promised to call a meeting for parents and school authorities, but nothing had materialised by press time. We don’t know how our children are going to cope with the situation here, said Mpambara. Parents also raised the issue of one teacher who has helped many primary six candidates perform well in national exams. The teacher, known only as Oswald, has reportedly been fired for leading a strike last month. However, Ruzindaza said the decision to sack the teacher was made by the school’s legal representative. I heard that legal representative told him to sign a warning letter and Oswald refused which followed his termination from work, Ruzindaza said. The school, which was founded by the Africa Muslims Agency (AMA) in early 1998, was constructed under the support of the Government of Kuwait.Ends

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Parents, school clash over toilets, teacher dismissal