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Cabinet to decide on GSAT push back today

Published:Monday | March 16, 2015 | 12:00 AM
JIS
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller (second right), addressing a special stakeholder agencies meeting at Jamaica House yesterday, during which she was updated on containment operations at the Riverton City Disposal Site in St. Andrew, which has been on fire since Wednesday. Also attending the meeting, from left, were: State Minister for Local Government and Community Development, Colin Fagan; Minister with Responsibility for Information, Sandrea Falconer; and Permanent Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister, Onika Miller.

The Cabinet is to decide today whether this week's Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) will be pushed back because of the continued smoke nuisance emanating from the Riverton City disposal site.

About 39,000 students are to sit the GSAT, scheduled for Thursday and Friday.

It is understood that about 11,000 GSAT students have been affected by the disruptions caused by the smoke nuisance.

Meanwhile, the education ministry says schools close to the dump, which were closed because of the smoke issue should remain closed today.

At a press conference yesterday, permanent secretary at the Education Ministry, Elaine Foster Allen, said about 50 schools were closed last week in the Corporate Area and St Catherine.

Foster Allen is encouraging parents to ensure that their children are properly supervised while they are away from school.

Dozens of students suffering from respiratory ailments in the corporate area had to be rushed to hospital on Friday.

The health ministry said between Friday to midday Sunday some 642 people, including children, turned up at health facilities for treatment.