Team Herald
SANGUEM: In an unwarranted situation, students of Miracles High School, Sanguem held a rally from the school to Sanguem bus stand as a mark of protest over the sudden transfer of School Headmaster Fr Anthony Melvin Fernandes and demanded immediate reinstatement.
Students marched the streets of Sanguem holding placards and chanting slogans in favour of Fr Fernandes, who was transferred on Monday to Fatima High School, Rivona, where he earlier worked as the school headmaster.
The students and parents were in no mood to listen to the authorities and did not want the classes started till the issue of reinstatement of Fr Fernandes was solved.
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The parents and the students were not ready to accept Fr Pio Furtado to continue as the school headmaster, despite the fact that Fr Furtado during his tenure as School Headmaster had brought many laurels to the school both in academics and extracurricular activities.
During the tenure of Fr Furtado, the school achieved cent percent results at the SSC exams during two consecutive years, yet the student community and the parents did not favour Fr Furtado continuing as the school headmaster for the sixth year.
Agitated parents claimed they are more satisfied and happy with the working style of Fr Fernandes and demanded immediate reinstatement of Fr Fernandes.
The agitated parents headed by PTA President Queroz Cruz later had a meeting with the Regional Superior of Society of Pilar Fr Silva, who assured the PTA members of looking into the matter after discussing the same with the Society superiors.
Fr Silva informed the PTA members of the ground reality behind transfer of Fr Fernandes to the Rivona School. Fr Silva told the PTA members that Fr Furtado had gone on leave for six months and had joined the school after the expiry of the leave period.
Essentially, Fr Fernandes was holding the charge of the Sanguem School in the absence of Fr Furtado. The PTA members, however, did not agree with Fr Silva’s version and handed over a representation demanding immediate replacement of Fr Fernandes back to Miracles High School in place of Fr Furtado.
The imbroglio will however continue to haunt the students and the PTA members till the time the issue stands finally decided by the school management.
Earlier in the day, Fr Furtado appealed the parents and the students not to get carried away with the pressure tactics of some vested interest in the school and urged the students to get back to their classes, but the students did not heed to Fr Furtado’s requests.
