A real teacher dat - Calabar old boy defends Sanjaye Shaw

A former Calabar High School student has come to the defence of embattled physics teacher Sanjaye Shaw, saying he is the best in class in the Caribbean.

Michael*, 19, said that because his view may not be a popular one, and because Calabar lost Champs to arch-rivals Kingston College, he requested total anonymity.

He said: "As a 'Bar man, it hurt fi see the school in the public like that but a foolishness dem a put up with at Calabar. Tracks man and footballers get away with the most."

According to Michael, who graduated in 2017: "A dem man deh (Shaw) mek some of the youth dem a do physics now".

"Man come tun up the pass rate a 'Bar, enuh. At the same time, him a defend his physics students, who mi sure at the end of the term a go pass dem exams. He is the best in the Caribbean, a something dem talk bout a 'Bar all the time and him have the results to show," he said.

PRIME EXAMPLE

Michael told THE STAR that Shaw is the prime example of the gap between a good teacher and an ordinary one.

"You have people weh a teacher and people who can teach. If the students nah understand, it nuh mek sense. Ask any man a 'Bar if when dem man deh teach, students nuh understand. More teachers should come out in his defence but dem scared. We deh bout and hear some comments mek bout him appearance and likkle joke mek but di man a real teacher," he said.

Shaw, the head of the physics department at Calabar, began working there in 2015.

Since being employed to the school, it is said that the physics pass rate has moved from 37 per cent to 100 per cent in Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), and from 37 per cent to 81 per cent in Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.

"To how me see him (Shaw) deal with students, including my friends who did sciences, this incident should never have happened. To what end? To win Champs? We lost on Saturday, where does it leave us? Where does it leave academics?" Michael questioned.

Last month, Shaw accused two star athletes of assaulting him at the school in December 2018, during a dispute over the use of mattresses.

Shaw, who has reported the matter to the police, has since retained the legal services of Lord Anthony Gifford and is awaiting further advice.

*Name changed on request