Health concerns close St Bartholomew Primary after pest infestation

Parents have stopped sending their children to St Bartholomew Primary School in Christ Church after reports of a rodent and roach infestation — the fourth school in three weeks to face health and environmental problems, Barbados TODAY has learned.

First vice-president of the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT), Julien Pierre, said that on Friday morning union officials visited the school and found a few teachers and students there, along with personnel from the Ministry of Health Vector Control Unit, who were assessing the school grounds.

The problem has been identified in the prefabricated buildings housing the nursery and infant classrooms, Pierre said. 

“In the classes that were identified, there were signs of droppings, both rodent and roach droppings,” Pierre said. “There were also some lizard droppings. The procedure, as far as we know, is that industrial cleaning should take place in these areas of concern.”

The issue, which has affected more than five schools in the past two weeks, is of increasing concern to the BUT, he added. 

The union called for a clear, formal protocol between the ministries of health and education on handling environmental issues.

“It is a case where the maintenance and cleanliness of schools must be maintained during the school term and outside of the term, during vacation periods, where industrial cleaning and certain types of concentrated cleaning can be done,” said Pierre.

“We continue to ask for a procedure from the Ministry of Health in conjunction with the Ministry of Educational Transformation, where it comes to environmental issues: what the procedure is for principals to follow and the level of cleaning to be done.”

Pierre also highlighted the vulnerability of very young children — some as young as three — especially in environments where they play on floors and frequently touch surfaces.

“Teachers want to be sure that the employer understands that in cases such as these, where they complain of issues that affect their working environment, this is also the environment that the children are in.”

He added: “We have children from as young as three years old, their hands are always in their mouths, they are always playing, things fall on the ground, and some of their play is actually on the floor, play-based learning. We are just asking that the school be a safe space for all.”

A release from the Ministry of Education stated that earlier this week a janitor spotted a mouse in one of the prefabricated buildings. The Vector Control Unit visited on Tuesday, set bait and recommended the installation of doors with sweeps “to help inhibit access to rodents and other pests”. 

By Thursday, door sweeps were being installed: “These door sweeps were being installed and to be followed by the typical cleaning by the school’s janitorial staff.”

The statement noted that on a third visit on Friday, Vector Control found evidence of droppings in a corner of one classroom. “The appropriate action was taken, and the entire prefabricated building is to be industrially cleaned over the weekend to be ready for classes on Monday, March 30.”

The ministry urged school leadership to ensure proper health and safety measures are observed: “Maintain oversight of the health protocols when it comes to the proper disposal of garbage, and the maintenance of daily cleanliness. Rodents can appear in any environment from time to time, but our responsibility is to ensure that we do not create an environment for them to stay.” 

louriannegraham@barbadostoday.bb