Finally!

Some parents of students enrolled at Sharon Primary School are still awaiting solid answers from the Ministry of Health about the full extent of environmental issues at the St. Thomas institution which reopened its doors today.

But they entrusted their children to the Ministry of Education this morning once again expressing hope that recent efforts would be enough to keep them safe.

Parents turned out in their numbers as students returned to their classes for the first time since week two of the academic year.

For weeks, parents demanded results from air quality testing which was supposed to take place at the school along with greater insight into the efforts made by nearby businesses to prevent contaminants from making their charges ill.

In the absence of such disclosures, parents adopted a “wait-and-see” attitude as they dropped off their children for school.

Students of Sharon Primary returning to the classroom this morning.

“We are a bit disappointed right now because the Ministry of Health has not contacted us and they took contact information for at least two parents and up to now we have not heard anything from them. We really would appreciate them getting in contact and helping us to get to a point where we are perfectly happy with our children being here,” Felicia Cox told reporters.

The outspoken parent admitted after the four-month saga which left children and teachers experiencing dizziness, cramps and vomiting, she was reluctant to drop off her daughter.

“Right now I do feel like I can leave her but I’m still uncomfortable being in a state of ‘not knowing’ and I think that is what some officials don’t quite understand. That [lack of information] has been the greatest problem for the parents,” Cox explained.

“If things aren’t great but we know, then we can deal with that because we have the knowledge. But when everything is up in the air, your imagination really takes over and you really will imagine the absolute worst.”

Cox added: “We are all taking a wait-and-see attitude because if an air quality test on this compound comes back negative, that does not necessarily tell us the problem cannot recur, it just means it is not occurring at that time. So without seeing the reports and the specific tests we asked for at the meeting, we are very guarded in our expressions of satisfaction because we have not seen the evidence.”

Principal of Sharon Primary, Pamela Small-Williams reported that over the last week, officials were tasked with sealing a number of classrooms to prevent animal and vermin infestation. She revealed a number of lingering problems in the bathrooms were “rectified”.

Principal of the Sharon Primary School Pamela Small-Williams interacting with students. (Pictures by Kemar Holder.)

Small-Williams further acknowledged the more serious environmental issues needed “continuous investigations”.

“Anything that deals with gases or environmental problems, we know that ongoing corrective measures will have to be employed and we are looking forward to continuous investigations and maintenance,” she said.

The senior educator indicated that numerous parents, teachers and volunteers had been working from as early as 6:30 Monday morning assisting with the reopening. She added the day was considered an “unofficial open day” for parents and guardians.

“We left here during Monday of week 2 and both parents and children have returned to premises that have been repaired. Many repairs have been done and from what I have seen, parents are extremely thankful,” she said, while extending thanks for the assistance of the Jackson Adventist Church and the Holy Innocent’s Primary School for housing the children over the last five days.

“There is no place like home and this morning I received lots of hugs from children who said ‘ma’am I am so happy to be at school’… not just to return to Sharon, but to return to refurbished premises. So many things have been done and that is why this morning we are actually continuing our blessings,” said the principal.
kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb