Opposition urges clarity on school repairs, delayed openings
Strachan questions ministry on retrofits, safety of temp facilities
Published:Friday | August 30, 2024 | 12:09 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
Waynette Strachan, the Opposition’s junior spokesperson on education and community development, on Wednesday, called on the Ministry of Education to provide clarity on the plans for schools with delayed openings as a result of damage from Hurricane Beryl.
Addressing a press conference at the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, she outlined several concerns ahead of next week’s scheduled start of the new school year.
The education ministry has categorised schools damaged by the July 3 hurricane into three priority groups: Priority One, with 107 schools that were severely damaged, Priority Two, with 139 schools that were moderately damaged; and Priority Three, with 116 institutions that sustained minor damage.
On Wednesday, education minister Fayval Williams said that the estimated repair bill for public schools was now more than $3 billion.
The minister stated last week that there are contingency plans in place for the relocation of classes for some 100 schools that are not ready to fully reopen next week.
“[What are the plans for schools with delayed openings?” Strachan asked on Wednesday, saying that there have been few details coming from the ministry.
“If we are to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment for our students, the ministry must provide clarity on what retrofitting has been done to these temporary spaces,” she added.
Strachan further urged the ministry to “provide a clear strategy for how these schools will make up the mandated 190 schooldays ... to ensure that our students do not fall behind”.
The junior opposition spokesperson said stakeholders, including school administrators, parents, and some community leaders, are still expressing anxiety about the state of schools across the island and called for a status update on the institutions and a timeline for completion of the repairs.
“There have been complaints about the lack of proper class separation in these makeshift facilities, which raises serious concerns for us about whether any retrofitting has been done to make these spaces functional for learning,” Strachan said. “Have they been adequately prepared to handle the different needs and areas and classes for our schools, or are we merely placing students in any available space regardless of their learning needs?”
Strachan said basic schools affected by the hurricane were being neglected in the repair efforts.
“The argument is that basic schools are predominantly private institutions and that they should be exempt from support or suggested that they should be exempt from support,” she said, noting that the Constitution emphasises that the Government has a duty to support foundational institutions.
“The ministry must address how it plans to support basic schools in the recovery process, especially since these schools play a crucial role in early childhood development,” Strachan said.
“While we were fortunate that Hurricane Beryl struck before the start of the academic year, sparing us from greater disruption, this event highlights the fragility of our education system in the face of natural disasters. A later hurricane that is as impactful as Beryl could have severely jeopardised our educational calendar, and with the growing threat of climate change, such events are likely to become more frequent and intense, so again, what is the plan for resilience?” she asked, adding that the Opposition is calling for a comprehensive schools’ resilience plan.