There will be no classes at the Pleasantville Secondary School for another two weeks. This position was taken by teachers and other staff who returned to school on Monday to find that none of their health and safety issues had been addressed. The teachers, who had already taken the first week of school off in protest over the conditions, returned home and school was dismissed at around midday.
The Marabella South Secondary School also remained closed on Monday because of a malfunctioning air-conditioning unit and is expected to remain closed for another week while repairs are done. Navin Ramai, a representative of the T&T Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) at Pleasantville, said, “Nothing has been done. We have decided to give the ministry another two weeks to address these issues. The next time the teachers will be in school will be September 23.”
Ramai said Public Service Association (PSA) representatives have also told their members working at the school to take similar action. The school has 100 teachers and 800 students. Students were told of the situation by the principal and were given a note to take to their parents, inviting them to an emergency parent/teacher association meeting at the school yesterday.
Some of the issues include incomplete or abandoned buildings, rat and snake infestation and holes in the wire fence, gang violence and gambling. Work had started in 2007 on a new school, but it was suddenly stopped. When Education Ministry media relations co-ordinator Yolanda Morales-Carvalho was contacted on Monday, she said the Education Facilities Company Ltd had told her contracts for both schools had been awarded. She said the contractors had already visited the schools and work is to start immediately.
“They will be working around the clock,” she said. Morales-Carvalho said both schools are scheduled to open next Monday. On Marabella Secondary, she said Form Fives were attending classes and similar arrangements will be made for Form Four.