Confusion as Charles F. Broome School reopens then shuts early over lingering odours

The reopening of Charles F. Broome Memorial School on Friday descended into confusion as parents rushed to collect their children hours after classes resumed, following official assurances that health concerns linked to a rodent infestation had been resolved.  

 

The school had been closed for half a day on Wednesday and throughout Thursday following concerns about a possible rodent infestation.  

 

On Thursday night, the education ministry said industrial cleaning and remedial works had been completed, paving the way for a return to normal operations.  

 

But when Barbados TODAY visited on Friday morning, normality appeared elusive.  

 

Laughter and gleeful shrieks echoed across the pasture as children played freely under the mid-morning sun – a stark contrast to the concerns unfolding around them.  

 

Shortly after, one by one, parents began streaming onto the compound, many uncertain about what was happening. Soon, a line of vehicles built up outside the school as parents moved to collect their children, some after receiving informal messages.  

 

“I’m here to pick up one of my sons. He was outside, from what I understand, for the past couple of hours, so it’s nonsense in my opinion. Parents were not called or told anything,” said parent Albert Cornibert, who added that he learnt of the situation through a WhatsApp group.  

Asked how he felt about how the situation was being handled, he said: “Disappointed… a little upset.”  

 

Cornibert further shared his belief that the school should have remained closed until Monday of next week.  

 

Other parents echoed similar concerns about the lack of official communication and the premature reopening of the school.  

 

“Really and truly, if not for social media, you probably would not even have heard anything,” one parent said.  

 

Another parent said she had to leave work at short notice after being contacted by a teacher.  

 

“Our teacher just called me about 20 minutes ago and I had to ask permission from work to rush and come… they said the school wasn’t ready,” she said. “So I’m not sure why they’re open.”  

 

She added that the situation was placing added strain on working parents.  

 

“It is challenging for parents because some employers are not going to really accept you just picking up and leaving,” she said, noting that parents had already been disrupted earlier in the week.  

 

The parent also pointed to broader issues affecting school conditions.  

 

“It’s a bit overwhelming, and I think that the schools need more support and help from the ministry… especially with sanitising and repairs,” she said. “The primary schools, especially the bathrooms, the sanitary aspect is really, really bad.”  

 

Referencing reports from students, she added: “Like the little girl just said, rats and cockroaches in the classroom. That shouldn’t be, not in this time and this age.”  

 

Adding to the unease were reports from other students about conditions on the compound, including claims of rodents and pests. One was overheard telling his parent, “Mommy, the rats even scratched the walls!”  

 

The Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT), which visited the school on Thursday alongside officials from the Ministries of Health and Education, also raised concerns about the reopening.  

First vice-president Julian Pierre said the Ministry of Health had advised that the school should remain closed on Friday to allow further remedial work.  

 

“The Ministry of Health had advised… that it wasn’t recommended to open the school today to allow the continuation of work to be done,” Pierre said.  

 

“On arriving, some staff members complained of a lingering odour. Some persons felt nauseous; some complained of itching skin as well. Persons felt unwell, both staff and students.”  

 

He added that issues identified during Thursday’s visit had not been fully addressed.  

 

“Some of the work was not done, which included treatment for roaches, which was part of the issue that the school is experiencing,” he said.  

 

Pierre also pointed to the presence of “possible droppings” and ongoing odour concerns as indicators that conditions may not have been adequately resolved.  

 

“The lingering odour… and the presence of still possible droppings… all speaks to the rush of things not being done properly,” he said.  

 

He noted that despite the reopening, there was still no clear indication that the school had been officially closed again, even as parents collected students.  

 

“Up to now… there has been no clear indication if the school is actually closed,” Pierre said.  

 

Pierre suggested the reopening may have been premature.  

 

“If health… had given their recommendations… why should we force the opening today… when we could have had the time to ensure the necessary work was done?” he asked.  

 

In a statement issued late Friday, the Ministry of Education Transformation said the school was closed early after complaints about lingering odours linked to recent industrial cleaning.  

 

The ministry said that while the school had been deemed ready for reopening, “a few areas of the school had lingering odours… which posed some challenges”.  

 

“Having received some complaints from teachers and staff about the odours and other physical discomforts, the ministry… decided to close Charles F. Broome Memorial to allow more time for the odours… to dissipate,” the statement said.  

 

Parents were allowed to collect their children at noon, and the school was closed for the remainder of the day.  

 

The ministry apologised for the inconvenience caused by the early closure.

 

shannamoore@barbadostoday.bb