Light appears to be at the end of the tunnel for dozens of students, teachers and parents associated with the Sharon Primary School, which has been closed for the first four weeks of the school year.
Minister of Education, Santia Bradshaw on Wednesday revealed education officials were aiming for the St Thomas institution to reopen next Monday after being closed indefinitely, pending investigations by health officials.
Bradshaw told Barbados TODAY that after a massive industrial cleaning and the removal of numerous cans of paint, she had taken matters into her own hands by asking “external sources” to carry out extensive air testing at the school.
“Based on the concerns expressed at the [parents’] meeting and my own concerns as well, we wanted to ensure that before we gave the all-clear on Monday for the students to go back to school, that we engage the services of someone to do an air quality test,” Bradshaw revealed.
This development follows four weeks of uncertainty and frustration, particularly for parents who have been demanding answers on the extent of the environmental problems affecting their children. Scores of students are still out of the classroom. Class three and four students are currently being accommodated by the Jackson Seventh Day Adventist Church and some from class two are being housed at the Holy Innocent’s Anglican Church.
The Education Minister stressed those charged with testing the air quality were instructed to be very extensive and to use multiple tests at different times to satisfy the Ministry that students can resume classes safely.
“I have decided, rather than wait on the Ministry Of Health to carry out air quality tests, I have asked for an intervention from external sources in order to satisfy myself,” said the Education Minister.
“We have carried out the industrial cleaning of the school, so from our end, we have removed what was on the compound.”
She again noted the Ministry of Health’s satisfaction with the filtration systems installed by nearby businesses since last June and defended her ministry’s handling of the saga, which was criticized by parents who felt important details were being withheld.
“When we were told about the challenges being faced by teachers and students, we immediately closed the school. We then called in the Ministry of Health for them to carry out their investigations on the school compound. They gave us the findings the following Friday,” explained the Minister.
“Consequently we acted as quickly as we could based on the information. We got it on the Friday and we gave notice on Saturday when we found out where we could relocate the class four students. I don’t think the Ministry could have done more at that point in time because the ministry does not carry out tests.”
Bradshaw then promised to closely monitor the situation as students returned to the classroom.
“I think health has its remit and the general feeling of the parents is that there needs to be continuity in terms of observing these businesses and meeting these requirements, that the filtration systems are changed regularly. So once we are satisfied with the air quality testing and school resumes, if there is another situation, obviously we will know it is not the paints on the school compound and the Ministry of Health will then have to advise us further in relation to what other causes there may be,” she said.
kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb
