Teaching Service Commission (TSC) chairman Elizabeth Crouch is describing as categorically untrue statements made by the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha in a pre-action protocol letter sent to the TSC and the Education Ministry on Thursday.

The letter claimed an unlawful and unconstitutional change to the method of recruiting teachers.

In the letter signed by attorney Kiel Taklalsingh and e-mailed on Thursday, the Maha Sabha is claiming the change in the recruitment process for primary school teachers excludes input from the denominational boards in contravention of the long-standing Concordat.

The Concordat is a pre-independence agreement signed between the Government and the heads of the various religious denominations on terms in which those boards of education would run schools with assistance from the Government.

Under the agreement, applications to the teaching service are submitted, in the first instance, to the respective denominational boards which examine them, assess the candidates by way of an interview, and forward the recommended candidates, to the permanent secretary in the Education Ministry for final action.

The letter said this process 'allows the denominational board to conduct its own due diligence to determine whether applicants meet the requirements for, among other things, assuring the preservation and character of its denominational schools as guaranteed by the Concordat.'

The Maha Sabha says the commission, in a letter dated November 25, 2022, indicated that it had already made 'a policy decision in September 2021, which was issued by the Ministry of Education by public notice, that it would cease accepting unsolicited applications and would treat only with applications in response to vacancies.

'As such, the commission, after careful consideration of the matter has decided to advertise the office of Teacher I (primary) in order to establish a list of suitable candidates.'

According to the pre-action protocol letter, the denominational boards were further advised that they will then be required to select from the order of merit list, generated solely by the Ministry of Education, to fill vacancies in their schools.

The Maha Sabha's attorneys who also include Karuna Maraj, Rhea Khan, Stefan Ramkissoon and Dinesh Rambally who are calling on both Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly and Crouch to comply with the clear terms of the Concordat, and immediately revert to the settled practice.

The Maha Sabha attorneys promised legal action in 14 days if this alteration to the recruitment practice is not reversed.

However, Crouch described what was said as being categorically untrue. She said the commission supports Article 4 of the Concordat in every respect.

'At every stage of this process, boards will be given full rights to make their recommendations and to choose teachers of their choice and of their faith for their schools. This has already been communicated to the boards in writing, and all boards h