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From other Lands
Thursday, August 8, 2013
National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
Canadian school shuts down after 150 years in operation …as liabilities continue to exceed assets
A
private girls’ school which has announced its sudden closure has also promised parents it would help find other schools for its pupils. Howell’s School in Denbigh, Canada told parents it was closing after more than 150 years amid financial uncertainty. It follows a tribunal which ruled an ex-head teacher was unfairly dismissed with compensation still to be settled. Parents have been invited to a meeting for this Friday and there, staffers would be advised on alternative schools. In an email sent to parents, school trustee Nicola Locke said: “Sadly and with great regret, we have made a decision to close Howells School Denbigh for full time students with effect from this September. “We will continue to use the property for educational purposes but will not be operating the junior or senior school in its present form. It added: “We apologise for the short notice but we consider it is not appropriate to continue as if there was no risk, and cause disruption mid-year to your daughter’s education.” The trustees highlighted the outstanding claim against the school after it was found to have unfairly dismissed former head teacher Bernie Routledge and his partner Helen Price. A tribunal in March this year ruled that the couple had been sacked without reason. It had been claimed that Mr. Routledge behaved inappropriately in conduct with pupils over the social network Facebook. But the tribunal dismissed all the allegations against him and Ms Price, who was head of PE and
pastoral care. As yet, no compensation has been agreed. But in the trustees’ letter to parents, Mrs. Locke said the school had to accept that the award could be “large”. “It could be £50,000 or £500,000 but we have no way of knowing,” she said. “If that award is unaffordable, then our charity could face closure at short notice. We have expected a decision on the tribunal award ‘any day’ since May but none has been forthcoming. “Given that uncertainty, we have decided that we should not commence the next academic year in September, rather than open as normal and risk a closure part way through the school year.” The letter to parents said the school would be open from Monday to “work with you in every way possible to find a new school that is suitable for your daughter” and that re-enrolment deposits already paid would be refunded. It is not known how many pupils are affected but there were 161 senior and 60 junior pupils at the school in 2008, according to its Estyn report. Steven Griffiths, vice-chairman of the parent-teacher association, told BBC Wales he was “surprised” and “upset” at the decision. He said it only left the family four weeks to get their 10-year-old daughter into another school. “We’re frustrated at the fact that it has been such short notice and we’re also sympathetic towards all the other parents - they could be on holiday or they might have more than one daughter in that school and they’ve got to try and get them into further education somewhere else. “We’re just a bit disappointed
Front view of the school
Bernie Routledge (left) and Helen Price, who instituted court action against the school for unlawful termination of appointment. They won the case.
SADLY AND WITH GREAT REGRET, WE HAVE MADE A DECISION TO CLOSE
HOWELLS SCHOOL DENBIGH FOR
FULL TIME STUDENTS WITH EFFECT FROM THIS in the way it’s been done,” said Mr. Griffiths, from Rhyl. An independent auditor’s report on the school finances, lodged with Companies House for the period to the end of August 2012, outlined some concerns. “The company made a loss during the year of £162,733 and the liabilities continue to exceed assets,” the report said.
Adeboye urges church provinces to establish schools TUNBOSUN OGUNDARE
T
he Chancellor, Redeemers’ University (RUN), Mowe, Ogun State, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has appealed to the provinces and regions under the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) across the country to make the establishment of schools their priority. He made the appeal during the church Minister’s Conference held at the Redemption Camp on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Mowe
last Friday. According to him, since secular education is part of the gospel of Jesus Christ, every province or region in RCCG should be able to establish schools from primary to secondary level and if possible, should add university he also asked members of the mission to patronise those schools members should also be able to patronise them. Pastor Adeboye, who is also the General Overseer of the mission, noted that no school, no matter the standard, could be better than
Side view of the school
SEPTEMBER
“There is also the potential outstanding liability with regards to the employment tribunal. “These factors indicate the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast doubt on the company’s ability to continue as a going concern and therefore it may be unable to realise its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business.”
The accounts for the school, which employs 58 staff, showed it had debts of £481,135 at the end of August 2012. However, auditors stated in their report that, bank borrowings and overdrafts amounting to some £237,000 were paid off in February this year. Howell’s School is registered as a charitable company, with Mrs. Locke and husband Robbie named as the directors. Originally called Howell’s 2000 Ltd, the school’s company name was officially changed to H2000 Ltd in January this year. The school and its trustees have been unavailable for comment. Culled: BBC.
Govt urged to stop proliferation of private varsities SEKINAT L AWAL
O Adeboye
the one that is filled with the Holy Spirit and where the students are well trained and brought up in the way of the Lord.
ne of the unhealthy developments in the tertiary education sub-sector is the proliferation of private universities. This advice was given by Barrister Victor Kolade at the 39th graduation ceremony of Grace Children Schools, Gbagada, Lagos, recently. According to him, a situation where one state has eight private universities will only compound the problem of unemployment among youths in the country. Kolade argued further that
many of the new private universities are not properly managed as they already emerged as one-man business that are susceptible to the whims and caprices of an individual. “So why should government give approval to eight universities in a state without industry or formidable economic base? As a matter of fact, this situation has made lecturers running round from one university to another because they are not enough. This indiscriminate licensing of private universities does not augur well for the economic development of the country,” the lawyer argued further.