The school education department has issued a showcause notice to St Mary’s School (SSC) in Mazgaon demanding an explanation on how an unapproved principal was signing admission-related and other official documents. The notice was issued after officials inspecting the school found the principal carrying out official duties even though the department had not approved his appointment to the post.
The notice, dated June 12, has warned the school that the department would file an FIR against the school if it fails to provide an explanation within two days of receiving the notice as to why the school failed to act on a April 4 order of the department wherein Emmy Fernandes had been appointed as an authorised signatory as principal Fr Baptist Pinto was to be relieved of his duty.
Fr Pinto was the principal of St. Xavier’s from 1998 to 2010, following which he was transferred to St. Mary’s School in Mazgaon and Jennifer Dias, the principal of St Mary’s was transferred to St. Xavier’s in 2010. However, both the posts of both Fr Pinto and Ms Dias remained unapproved and other staff members were appointed as authorised signatories by the department.
“We found that Fr Pinto was signing documents despite the signatory authority of the principal being passed on to another senior staff teacher. We warned them several times, but he continued signing all official letters, correspondence except documents pertaining to staff salary,” said B.D. Puri, education inspector of the south zone.
“The matter is in the court and I think the education department must wait for the court’s verdict,” said Fr Pinto.