Fresh off the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Disciplinary and Appeals Committees sanctioning St Augustine Secondary School seven points for using an unregistered player, Shumba Cudjoe, and a suspended player, Aaden Maharaj, the SSFL executive is now contemplating how it will address the Derrel Garcia matter, and how it will affect the reputation of the SSFL and St Benedict's College's credibility.
Last month, the SSFL wrote to the Ministry of Education (MOE) about Derrel Garcia's student eligibility status for 2023/2024 in keeping with its criteria for registration after rumours were swirling around that he was not attending school because he was one of several young talented footballers from Trinidad and Tobago who were enrolled in a football Internship programme at an academy in Spain in 2023/2024, and his status at St Benedict's College for this academic term is in doubt.
The SSFL will hold a general council meeting today at Carapichaima Secondary School and while the St Benedict's matter will not be on the agenda, it is expected to be on the minds of the executive which is led by president Merere Gonzales.
While St Augustine Secondary was penalised because of a protest by Signal Hill Secondary, the SSFL delayed in acting on St Benedict's College because the daily student attendance register is not a document that the SSFL can access, and most times the Credential Committee which is led by the SSFL General Secretary Azaad Mohammed-Khan has to rely on a protest to gain access from the school in question. No school has protested Garcia's eligibility, however, the Credential Committee does not need an official protest to investigate a matter that may be adverse to the league operations on the field.
There are two questions that the MOE will have to answer for the SSFL, firstly on what date did Garcia restart school as a Form four student after being away from school for his Form three classes and secondly, why he did not feature in any of the St Benedict's first six matches played on September 11, 14, 18, 21, 25 and 28, 2024.
The first question highlights his outstanding performances on October 2 and 5, 2024.
Garcia scored in almost all of the nine matches he played in October and is the leading contender for the League's Golden Boots Award with 17 goals. He scored the winner against St Mary's College which took his team to 41 points, six ahead of defending champion Fatima and Presentation Colleges both on 35 points.
Guardian Media Sports sent an email to the team manager Ravi Ramgoolam with three questions about why the player did not play in September six rounds of matches; was he a bona fide student when he played against San Juan North Secondary and Fatima College; and did the SSFL credential committee reach out to St Benedict's College for confirmation about the player's legibility after questions were raised.
Ramgoolam said that the matter is being dealt with by the Ministry and he cannot comment.
The SSFL Article 16. Criteria for Registration
Before students can be accepted by the League to be registered as players to represent any team playing in the League the following criteria must be fulfilled: (1) Students must be duly registered, according to the existing rules and regulations of the Ministry of Education and on the official roll of the school presenting the team. These students must attend classes at that school during normal school hours.
The penalty for infringement of the above is suspension of the school from further competition in the division for the remainder of the season.
The above rule is in keeping with the MOE rules for students enrolled at its institutions, therefore, if the MOE confirms that Garcia's status as a student is not in compliance with those rules then the nine matches he played in October could cost the school 25 points and 27 goals, and suspension for any further participation in the rest of the SSFL season.
Guardian Media Sports spoke to a former secondary school principal and asked whose authority it is to grant a student time away from school and what is the process for reinstatement.
The former principal speaking on the condition of anonymity said, "Firstly, the principal is responsible for the operations of the school and the school supervisor is the Education Minister's representative. Secondly, a parent can make a request to take their child out of school for various reasons (mainly medical).
The former Principal explained, "With proper process and protocol if a student is away from school for a Term or less, the principal can use his initiative to have the student resume his education, but once it's because a matter where a student is away from school for an entire Form, the proper procedure is to have the student accessed to see if he/she need to repeat the form and that can be done in consultation with other teachers at the School and the School Supervisor. In this case, the School Supervisor has a critical role to play and sign off the recommendation and inform the Ministry."
The SSFL, the teams in the Premiership Division, and moreso Fatima College, who will benefit the most if the findings are adverse to St Benedict's College, are all eagerly awaiting the MOE findings on this matter.
Meanwhile, the 2024 Intercol Tournament started yesterday with St Benedict's College on a bye, and will play the winner between Fatima College and Siparia West Secondary/Moruga Secondary on Friday.
SOURCE: T&T Guardian
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