A report by an environmental hygienist five months ago confirmed mould and other environmental issues at the St John’s Primary School and made recommendations for corrective action to be taken, Barbados TODAY has learned.
And with students and teachers still falling ill with respiratory issues at the Glebe Land, St John school, parents have indicated that they and their children will join teachers early on Tuesday morning in protest against the environmental issues plaguing the school for almost a decade.
In a report dated June 23, 2023, environmental hygienist Ian Weekes stated that mould was a major problem at the learning institution.
“The microbial air samples collected within the workspaces on the 1st June, 2023 showed that 81.8 per cent of the surface sampled had predominantly or exclusively cladosporium spores growth that ranged from light to heavy mould spore growth. The surface samples collected from the indoor surfaces had cladosporium spores growth that ranged from light to heavy mould spore growth.
“Also 36.4 per cent of the surface samples collected had small amounts of dust mites. The air conditioner units, blower wheels, fins and louvres have mould growth and dust mites. There [are] leaks via the roof and leaky flash head on the parapet feature onto the walls in the nursery, hall [and] computer lab,” it stated.
The report also revealed that the printers in the computer lab were a source of airborne toner particulates. However, all chemical concentrations recorded in that lab were significantly below their respective exposure recommended limit.
In the report, Weekes also outlined a number of solutions, including contracting a professional mould remediator; special remediation of air conditioning units, blower wheels, fins and louvres on a quarterly basis; contracting a roof specialist to fix leaks; relocating printers to a room dedicated to printers with mechanical exhaust ventilation; and improving computer lab ventilation.
The environmental health specialist also instructed that “persons who demonstrate hypersensitivity to any of the fungi, dust mites or chemicals found on the inside of the buildings should consult their doctor . . . .”
During a visit to speak to the frustrated workers on Monday, Chairman of the Health and Safety Committee of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) Julian Pierre told Barbados TODAY that Weekes had visited the school on Monday and was carrying out investigations again.
“We had a tour with the environmental hygienist Ian Weekes who pointed out that the findings of his report in June had recommendations.
“Now normally, he would advise that persons deal with the recommendations within a three-month period, as after three months the recommendations become invalid. If there is something wrong with the environment, chances are with little to no rectification, there would have to be another test to see what is there most currently. So St John’s had their last test done in June and based on what he started to see this [Monday] morning, he realised the recommendations were not adhered to so he had to do over his test,” he said.
Pierre, who is also the BUT’s first vice president, confirmed that teachers would report for duty on Tuesday but would not be going into the classrooms.
Asked how long teachers planned to maintain their resolve, he said: “I can’t say how long but they want the report to determine if it is safe to enter the classrooms or not. When Weekes is finished with this new test, they will determine what they are going to do.”
The school’s parent-teacher association (PTA) has reported that parents have pledged to throw their support behind the educators.
Head of the PTA Nicole Gill-Wilson told Barbados TODAY that while the motion by parents was not a coordinated move with the educators, they had intended to join the fight with the teachers on Tuesday to send a strong message to the Ministry of Education.
“Nobody sent their children to school today . . . . We saw an article in Barbados TODAY over the weekend and we shared it [in the group chat] telling the parents it doesn’t make any sense sending school the children. A lot of parents are not in the chat but people know people and the message spread.
“We want to go there in the morning to show that we are in support of the teachers and that we too are not in favour of entering the building until a resolution has been made. The students will be coming in their uniforms but they will not be going to school,” she said, adding that while the students were missing out on classes, the environmental issues were too much of a burden for school to continue as normal.
Gill-Wilson said she was informed that an environmental health officer had visited the school on Monday and that the school had received a recent environmental report. However, she said she had not seen it but was told the ministry would hold a meeting with parents to share the findings.
Meanwhile, Pierre added that an environmental test is also to be done at the Ann Hill School in Pine Plantation Road, St Michael, where teachers and students have also been complaining of health problems.
He said one had not been done since 2019.
Barbados TODAY reached out to the Ministry of Education for a comment but none was forthcoming up to the time of publication.
At a St John Speaks town hall meeting on June 6, Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training Kay McConney had said plans were being made to tackle the issues at the school that had resulted in children and teachers falling ill.
She said there would be industrial cleaning that weekend and every three months going forward.
“The intention is that there will be a standard industrial cleaning every three months and there will be air quality tests in between so that if we need to do it more often we will do so but with a view that there is a longer-term plan,” she had said at the time, adding that Director of the Education Technical Management Unit Francisco Miller would be closely monitoring the maintenance.
Miller, who was also present at the meeting, said the Ministry of Health will be leading the efforts at the St John Primary School and, in the interim, “we have sought to use the industrial hygienist to take some air quality samples as well as swabs of the area so that we can determine whether or not the quality of the air is good or not”. He had also said commercial-grade dehumidifiers would be installed at the school.
sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb
