President’s College Online

Education Minister, Dr. Henry Jeffrey said yesterday that nothing would be changed at President’s College regarding the portrait of former President L.F.S Burnham.

He said that not until there is stakeholder agreement can any decision be taken to remove Burnham’s portrait or place other portraits alongside it.

Jeffrey told reporters that he spoke with Chairman of the President’s College board, David de Groot on Tuesday when students held a protest at the school. He said de Groot was informed of the Ministry’s position on the matter. According to the Minister, de Groot agreed and this was to be relayed to the students.

However, on that day the students were told that Minister Jeffrey was not going to do anything regarding the issue. This resulted in the protest action dragging on for sometime.

Recently, the school board reached a decision to remove Burnham’s portrait from the school, drawing disapproval from students and teachers. Then the board decided to leave the portrait but also indicated an intention to place the portraits of other Presidents next to it. This triggered the protest earlier this week.

The portrait hanging in the school’s administration building was a gift to the school from the North Korean government.

Source: Stabroek News