MORE COMBERMERE DRAMA

Ministry and BSTU’s reports differ on environmental situation

 

THE Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation and the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU) are reporting opposing perspectives on the environmental situation at Combermere School.
 
Yesterday, the Ministry released a statement that indicated that there has not been a reoccurrence of environmental problems at Combermere School. In the release from the Barbados Government Information Service yesterday, Minister of Education, Ronald Jones, contended that there is no indication the environmental problems have resurfaced and also has denied that children are falling ill as a result of any such problems. Jones made the point while revealing that the team charged with investigating the environmental problems at the Waterford site was continuing to assess the situation on a daily basis.
 
His comments came in response to a report in another section of the press that students were falling sick following a return of the environmental problems at the Waterford-based school. In that release, the Minister also indicated that between January 10, when school resumed and January 26, the school’s records did not show “major numbers” of students leaving early as a result of illness. He further disclosed that the reports of students leaving the school related to dental appointments, and other personal issues.
 
“In addition, with the exception of one teacher who is on sick leave and another who did not report to work yesterday, there was no record of staff being away from Combermere,” he contended.
 
However, President of the Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union (BSTU), Mary Anne Redman says that she is in receipt of reports that teachers are experiencing symptoms like before, which she indicated are related to the odour.
 
She told The Barbados Advocate yesterday evening, that on January 9, 2017, when the Union toured and inspected the school compound, scents were detected. She said these were also noticed by the expert team that has been monitoring the situation. Redman further remarked that she has also received reports from teachers that the odour has been detected in a variety of areas including 3F, 1F, 3A, 4B, Room 211, the Food and Nutrition Lab, the Art Room, the girls’ bathroom, the Physics Labs, the foyer and the Media Centre.
 
These reports, she indicated, were made between the opening of school on January 10 and January 26. In some instances, the BSTU president said that she received multiple reports about some areas. With that in mind, she said that while the teachers are very appreciative of the work being done by the expert team, the problems have persisted and need to be addressed.
 
“The fact of the matter is there are still problems and they have to be recognised by all – and not denied by some – in our efforts to get the problem rectified,” she said. (JRT)

 

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