Seaforth principal lauds education ministry
Published:Saturday | May 18, 2019 | 12:08 AM
SEAFORTH, St Thomas:
Principal of Seaforth High School in St Thomas, Calbert Thomas has commended the Government for the ways in which it has been responding to the damage of the Visual Arts Department block by fire on May 4.
In fact, Thomas shared that the Ministry of Education has been working overtime to restore the school’s operation to normalcy.
Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Thomas commended the ministry for what he described as their quick and positive response.
“Members from the ministry visited on Tuesday along with a team from NET (National Education Fund) to do an assessment. They spent a long time deliberating on what needs to be done and based on their assessment, I was assured that they will be putting together a report to be submitted to the permanent secretary so that funds can be made available as quickly as possible to get Seaforth back up and running,” he said.
Thomas, who said he is unable to say what the estimated damage was, explained that reports following the assessment revealed that major rehabilitation works will be needed to restore the burned out section of the school.
The scope of the work, according to the principal is to include the demolition and reconstruction of the walls and repairs to flooring of the structure.
According to him, “The fact that visual arts students were displaced by the fire, I am hoping that by the end of June, things will be back to normal. In fact, I was given the assurance that they will start as early as the end of May.”
Thomas added: “The Member of Parliament, James Robertson was also here and has taken the initiative to secure two 40-feet containers for us to get some storage for the department and such so I know that it is being treated with priority.”