Ancillary, admin staff ‘in limbo’ while Lester Vaughan shuttered

Non-teaching staff at the Lester Vaughan School are taking their concerns about the safety of the Cane Garden, St Thomas school to the Labour Department.

The move follows the closure of the campus and a move to online teaching at the end of last month, after several complaints from students and teachers about feeling ill.

The school has been facing several ongoing environmental issues that continue to present a challenge to the teaching and student body.

Barbados TODAY understands that despite the school being closed, the ancillary staff, laboratory technicians and office workers are being required to report to work daily.

One staff member told Barbados TODAY the situation raises concerns about their safety since members of the community and other individuals who typically use the school grounds for exercise and training have been barred from doing so, due to “environmental health concerns”.

“It ain’t safe . . . for the people in the community to exercise in the mornings and evenings . . . the people in the neighbourhood, to run round the pasture exercising. They say it’s unsafe for them and they can’t come on the premises. The teams that train at the school, athletics, and football, can’t come. If that is the case, why are they insisting that we remain?” the worker said.

Another employee added: “The board even sent letters threatening that if we don’t come to work, it will be that we will have abandoned our jobs.”

While other ancillary staff members have been allowed to work from home, the board has not permitted a full closure of the school, Barbados TODAY was told. (RG)