Principal of Farquhar Beach Basic School appeals for help

Principal of St. Mark’s Farquhar Beach Basic School in Clarendon, Nickisha Watson-Blake, remains uncertain about whether school will reopen in time for classes in September.

The school, which serves a student population of 25, suffered water damage during the passage of hurricane Beryl due to a leaky roof. Additionally, some parts of the roof were lifted by the weather system’s strong winds.

Speaking with The Gleaner on Thursday, Watson-Blake explained that all three classrooms were affected by the leakage and that teaching supplies and other learning resources were destroyed.

“The only room that wasn’t wet is that one,” she remarked, gesturing to an area which teachers utilised and that does not function as a classroom.

Watson-Blake outlined the school’s desperate need for zinc sheets to fix the roofing and appealed to the Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY) to visit to assess the damage and conduct repairs.

She said no one from the Education Ministry has visited the area since Hurricane Beryl.

“It’s the only school in the area so I’m expecting that the children will have to stay home if things are not addressed,” she stated.

GROUPED INTO CATEGORIES

The community of Farquhar Beach has been without water and electricity since the passage of the hurricane two weeks ago. Residents say they have also complained about an increase in the mosquito population, and inadequate fogging within the vicinity by health officials.

Education Minister Fayval Williams, who was addressing a press conference on post-Hurricane Beryl infrastructure repair efforts on Friday at the ministry’s offices, said that repair efforts would start immediately. She said that the current estimate of the damage caused by Hurricane Beryl to school infrastructure stands at $2.7 billion.

According to the MOEY’s assessments, 309 primary and secondary schools were negatively impacted, and approximately $1.4 billion worth of damage has been sustained across 85 institutions.

Williams stated that based on these assessments the affected schools have been grouped into categories one to three.

The schools on the ministry’s top priority list are those deemed to have sustained significant damage.

Under priority two, the ministry has listed 110 schools. These are institutions which have been moderately damaged and will be able to operate while work is undertaken, Williams said.

For priority three, 114 schools have been listed and are said to have suffered minor damage. Williams stated that these schools will also be able to operate while repair work is conducted.

“To date, the technical team from the ministry has identified contractors for schools, those in the priority one category, those that are severely damaged,” she said.

Williams continued that assessments are being conducted in order to complete the procurement paperwork and to allocate registered contracts.