Three schools will remain shut to complete repairs

Twenty-eight of the 31 schools targeted for repairs under the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training – Domestic Summer Programme are set to reopen on Monday.

The three primary schools that will remain closed as work continues are: St. Luke’s Brighton, St. Martin’s Mangrove and St. Giles’. However, a plan is already in place for those students to commence online learning immediately.

Word of this came from Chief Education Officer (Ag.) Joy Adamson during the annual tour of schools by Ministry officials, yesterday.

“We have three schools that we are looking at, that we know that we might have some issues starting on Monday. So, what the principals of those schools have decided of their staff is that in the first instance online teaching. But, we are also looking to place the Class 4s, five days face-to face, so they have also identified alternative sites,” she said, also indicating that principals would have informed parents.

Adamson went on to give the assurance that the Ministry is making sure that students from those three schools have the means to follow classes online, “I am aware that St. Giles’ Primary has been issued with the additional tablets that they need. We are making sure that those schools that will have to start online – that all of their pupils who have indicated that they needed a device receive one.”

However, all secondary schools have indicated their readiness to start classes, according to the Chief.

With only a little tweaking to be done, Adamson is encouraging parents and guardians to be patient.

“We have actually told them that first week is not any strict teaching; for that first week we are getting accustomed – making sure everyone knows the protocols; making sure you know what you have to do,” she said.

“We have distributed the protocols. Similar protocols to what we would have used earlier in the year, just some additions, such as a section for nursery schools. We have met with the nursery principals and they are aware of what they have to do working in that environment. We also have specific protocols for the Special Needs, so those protocols have been added to the original list,” she continued.

Minister Bradshaw led the tour which visited: Erdiston Special Needs School; Erdiston Nursery School; Government Hill Nursery; Eden Lodge Primary and St. Joseph Primary Schools. She told reporters gathered at St. Joseph Primary School that she was satisfied with the overall work carried out by the contractors, being able to get a number of schools on the domestic summer programme ready in time.

“We took the opportunity to visit some of the schools to see how our principals and teachers are coping, and how ancillary staff are getting on with the cleaning – making sure all of the external premises of the school have been properly cleaned up as well as the interior. And to see what are things that we need to simply fine tune as we approach the start of school on Monday.

“There has been a lot of neglect of school plants over the course of the past few years and therefore there is no waving of a wand that is simply going to be able to fix all school plants, even in a COVID environment,” the Education Minister declared.

“I think though what we’ve tried to do is to prioritise some of the schools that have had major challenges, certainly, those that had environmental issues over the years, and we’ve also looked at some of the schools where we had complaints coming in over the course of the last few weeks and months as well,” Bradshaw added.

Director (Ag) of the Education Technical Management Unit responsible for the maintenance of schools (technical advice), Francisco Miller further revealed that the Ministry this year, received an increase in funding to carry out the school repairs.

“Last financial year, we were given $3.4 million to carry out this domestic summer programme. This year, we received $3.6 million, so we would have a net increase over last year. This year, we have attempted to complete 31 schools and to date we have made significant strides in that department. While we have not yet completed all the schools, most of them are in a state of readiness, I think are in a position to commence school next week,” he said. (TL)