Pupil finds bag of weed

MEMBERS of the Escallier St Jerome Anglican Primary School PTA are threatening to keep their children at home if the Ministry of Education does not put steps in place to have security officers posted at the school. They are also seeking meetings with Education Minister Hazel Manning and National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee to discuss their concerns about security at the school.

PTA Vice President Deborah Downer said parents are frustrated by the lack of action from the Ministry to ensure their children’s safety. She said guards are posted at the school from 3 pm to 6 am daily but during the day when classes are in progress, there is no security. Downer said a student found a bag containing marijuana on the school compound last week and reported the incident to a teacher. “Our children are being exposed to all types of things because we cannot secure the compound. Last year a student reported that a man with a gun was standing right outside the compound calling to him. The students was smart enough not to go, but this is crazy,” she said. “Our children play outside break time, lunch time and in the evening. When are they going to do something about the situation? When one of our children gets killed on the school compound? We cannot wait till then, we want action now! “The guards are here to protect the building in the night but what about my children’s safety in the day-time? All kinds of things does happen in this area and the school is not protected in any way. We fed-up and we want something to be done now,” said Downer. The parents said they would settle for nothing less than two uniformed officers on the compound at all times, one at the front gate and one at the back.

According to Downer, there were MTS guards on shifts during the day, but this was stopped in 1999. She said inadequate security on the school’s compound is made worse by the fact that the yard is not properly fenced and is often used as a short-cut by residents in the area.  Downer said early last year a project to fence the school was started, but it was halted with no explanation at the start of this school term, leaving the children at risk. Material for the project is being stolen, said one concerned parent, who warned that “by the time they are ready to complete the project, additional materials would have to be acquired.” PTA member Jervis Agard urged parents to support efforts being made to secure the school’s compound. “When we achieve our goal of safety for our children, is everybody who would gain. We want the other parents to make the sacrifice and come out and support this initiative we trying to take,” said Agard. TTUTA President Trevor Oliver and President of the National Parent Teachers Association Zena Ramatali have promised to look into the situation at the school.