For years, parents at Louisiana Government School say they have paid school fees and supported fundraising activities, even as their children continued learning in facilities badly in need of repair. Now, they want to know where that money went. Following News Five’s report on alleged financial irregularities, the Ministry of Education launched an investigation and audit. That audit is now complete, and officials are reviewing the findings to decide whether anyone should be held accountable. But for parents who say they have raised the alarm for years, completing the audit is only the first step. They argue the real test is whether the ministry will act on its findings and ensure the school’s money benefits the students it was meant to serve.
On the phone: Parent, Louisiana Government School
“It first started, you know, when you register your kids at the top they have a fine print tile fees. They charge you a tile fee and when you realize almost all the classes are tiled so where is the tile money going? Right? That’s one. Then we have, whenever we have showdowns we do not get a breakdown no parents ever get financials report anything We never get reports over the past eight years. The school have casual days after casual days every Friday. Where their money gone? December fair come up, we no get no breakdown just like with the showdown money. You pay for your PE uniform when the time to pick up, you can’t pick up because they no have the uniform ready for you. And if they’d put the money to good use, it noh bad. The bathroom itself, they bathroom them stink bad. The sewage they need to be changed. The tiles in the bathrooms, the grout in the bathrooms, they are very filthy. That is a government school, and that schools have not been painted so where all the money gone from all these things that I mentioned? Parents been frustrated and enough is enough. Parents tired of it year after year after year.”
Shane Williams
“What would be your message to the ministry?”
Parent
“I think finally they step up. They took too long. It’s way too long, and this needs to – I think our government school need to be shaken up honestly starting, you know, you get when you wake up call from Louisiana Government School here in Orinda Atton, and it needs a good shakeup.”
News Five understands that Principal Debbie Palacio has since resigned. The Ministry of Education has not provided the audit findings, despite our request.
Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.
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