Days of uncertainty and anger over the situation at Sharon Primary School have forced education officials to close the school building indefinitely and relocate students.
Acting Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Senator Lucille Moe, Permanent Secretary Senator Rommel Springer, Chief Education Officer Karen Best and Chief Medical Officer Dr Kenneth George on Tuesday joined teachers of the sick school to discuss the way forward.
Following an over two-hour ‘closed’ meeting at the Jackson Seventh Day Adventist Church which also included staff of the nearby Maria Holder Nursery, the acting education minister indicated the ministry’s decision followed close consultation on the matter.
They determined that from tomorrow class four students would report to the SDA church for classes and class 3 students would follow later in the week and students of the Maria Holder Nursery would resume classes on Monday.
However, the ministry is still looking for places to house the remaining students from Sharon Primary.
“We are looking at two other venues and we are going to see what progress is going to be made in terms of being able to use those venues. If we can use them and there are fit for purpose by Thursday, then we will use them. If not we will do so certainly by the beginning of next week,” promised Senator Moe.
“We will ensure that we find accommodations for them and we are trying to get that done as speedily as possible.”
Today’s meetings follow days of agitation by both parents and teachers who have been demanding more clarity about the nature of the environmental issues, which led to the suspension of classes at the Sharon Primary School for the first three weeks of the school year.
Teachers and students have been falling ill since last term and Barbados Union of Teachers’ President Sean Spencer has predicted Lester Vaughn School and Maria Holder Nursery, both in close proximity could be next.
He linked environmental problems to nearby businesses and has asked for proof that Sharon’s issues are internal as stated by Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw.
When pressed for more information on the issues, the acting education minister described them as “a mix of factors”.
“It would be difficult for me to speak on environmental issues,” said Moe.
“What we will do in [the Ministry of] Education is to be guided by the Ministry of Health as to how we should proceed. All of the staff was present from the two institutions and I think they are in agreement with the steps and the approach being taken to solve the problem,” Moe said.
Teachers formed a large huddle outside the Jackson SDA Church but refused to comment on the matter. The BUT, which represents staff at Sharon Primary did not comment on the situation up to the time of publication.
