Parents of students who attend St Boniface Nursery school want to hear from the Ministry of Education before the start of the new school year in January about the mould infestation plaguing the school.
Last night in a statement, president of the parent-teacher association (PTA) Rheco Moore said it has been three weeks since the school was closed, the students relocated and yet there has been no correspondence from the ministry on the matter.
He said what made the situation worse was that when the students were relocated to the Gordon Greenidge Primary School, many parents complained that their children were not comfortable in the new learning environment.
“Three weeks ago St. Boniface Nursery School was closed. It was reported to parents that the school was closed due to mould. We weren’t given any indication then as to when the problem would be resolved yet almost a month after, parents are still left in the dark with no update in regards to the situation.
“Whilst the principal has been supportive of parents where necessary, there has been no clear indication from the Ministry of Education regarding a timeframe for the commencement of work or expected completion,” the statement said.
The PTA president said this was “unsatisfactory”, adding that the space to which the children were relocated was inadequate and not conducive to learning.
“There was no update in regards to the extent of the problem and what steps needed to be taken to address the situation. We are in the dark, frustrated and concerned about our children’s education. Parents and the private sector who may want to assist are at a loss regarding how they can help . . . This is unsatisfactory.
“The current space the children reside in is not conducive to learning. The entire school is in one small
classroom. In public schools there are a diverse mix of children, some maybe only able to focus in
controlled environments but here we have an entire school of 40 children, faculty members and other
members of staff in one classroom
“This is not fair to the children, parents or teachers. While we do not want to have an environment that has mould, we want active steps towards a resolution of the situation. Nothing is being said to us, yet everyday we hear our kids complain about being uncomfortable in the current space. We are extremely concerned,” the statement said.
President of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) Rudy Lovell said he was aware of the issue as some teachers had expressed concern.
He said they were also concerned that the school’s roll would increase in January, when St Boniface had another intake of students.
Lovell added that teachers were unsure if the work to rectify the mould issue at the Sion Hill, St James school would be completed in time for the upcoming term.
On Wednesday November 23, a mould infestation and a pungent odour disrupted classes causing the Ministry of Education to temporarily close the school.
Back then Lovell said the building was an old limestone structure and, over the years, there had been leaks in all the classrooms, the principal’s office, and other buildings on the compound.
He said work was done on the school’s roof but the leaks continued indicating that the problem had not been fixed.
