Rat problem forces school closure for second time this week

Gordon Walters Primary School in Bright Hill, St Patrick’s, Christ Church suspended classes again on Wednesday over a severe rodent infestation, sparking outrage among teachers and parents who demanded immediate action from the Ministry of Education.

Despite the school’s reopening on Wednesday, many classrooms remain unusable as teachers refused to conduct lessons indoors, citing serious health concerns.

Following an initial closure on Monday, students were given lessons online the next day, only to return on Wednesday and be sent home once more.

When Barbados TODAY visited the St Patrick’s school, health officials were on the school compound conducting investigations.

A parent who requested anonymity added: “Rat urine and faeces are dangerous. Teachers and students should not be subjected to this environment. It is troubling that members of the Ministry of Health and Wellness are only just arriving now. They should have been involved long before now.”

She called attention to the long-standing nature of the problem, noting that rats were dropping through the ceiling of the rooms on the top floor of the school blocks.

“The rats have been here for some time, and the condition of the school is deteriorating. Students’ work has been destroyed by rodents, and the infrastructure is rotting. The wooden cupboards are being eaten by woodworms, and children’s books are being ruined,” she added.

The situation is compounded by other environmental hazards, the parent added.

“There are frogs, centipedes, and other pests in the classrooms. I’ve heard reports of rats falling from the ceiling onto students. This is completely unacceptable. The entire school is affected—this is not isolated to just one section of the compound. The roof rats are impacting the upper floors, while the tree rats infest the lower levels.”

The disruption is not only confined to the teachers’ and students’ immediate safety but extends to the broader issue of the school’s infrastructure. The absence of proper storage means that students’ assignments and educational materials are at risk of further contamination, and the rotting conditions of the school’s furniture only exacerbate the problem.

A teacher at the school, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed the ongoing difficulties, stating that “we can’t even store books properly anymore. The cupboards are rotting, and the materials we use for lessons are being destroyed.”

Rudy Lovell, president of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT), noted that environmental concerns at Gordon Walters have been raised with the Ministry of Education, but no concrete solutions have been implemented.

DLP spokesperson on education Felicia Dujon (right) and DLP candidate for Christ Church East Amoy Gilding-Bourne.

“We have communicated the staff’s concerns, but we are still waiting for the ministry to act. It’s clear that these issues have been ongoing for a while, and it’s time for the ministry to take decisive action,” Lovell said.

The Ministry of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The teacher also raised the need for improved school infrastructure, stating, “There’s an urgent need for new furniture. Teachers and students are operating without proper desks and chairs. The environment is not conducive to learning, and we cannot have our children subjected to these conditions.” 

Felicia Dujon, the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) spokesperson for education, condemned the situation, urging the Ministry of Education to prioritise the safety of students and teachers.

“The teachers have the right to refuse to work in these conditions. It’s a matter of safety,” Dujon said. “We need to hear from the ministry about what is going on because, as far as I know, the school has been closed since Monday. Students were sent home on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday. This is unacceptable.”

Dujon criticised the lack of communication from the Ministry of Education: “Parents have a right to be updated on the status of this situation. This isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a health hazard.”

Amoy Gilding-Bourne,  DLP candidate for Christ Church East whose child attends the school, echoed Dujon’s comments, highlighting the immediate health risks posed by the infestation.

She said: “It is very important that we get this situation rectified immediately. The parents and the teachers are extremely concerned. The teachers should not be made to operate within this type of environment and the children certainly should not be made to operate in this environment. Rat urine and rat faeces is dangerous.” 

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb