Union raises health and safety issues at Santa Flora kindergarten

Sydney explained that for more than a year, the 36 students and three teachers of the school have have been subjected to serious health and safety issues. He identified the major issue as an open sewer which emits methane gas and forced the closure of the school three weeks ago.

Coupled with that, there is an electrical problem and lack of toilet facilities to accommodate the existing school population.

However, the union learnt that an administrator “with two teachers from another school” reopened classes on Monday and yesterday despite the “unbearable stench”.

“There must be no school in this building where there is an open sewer and where a little child can fall in.

There should be no school in this building where there is a failed fire and electrical certificate and one toilet working for 36 students,” Sydney said. ECTTU was told that eight students showed up for classes on Monday, and 15 children yesterday, some of whom were seen eating cake in the building.

“We cannot tell the parents, who neglect their children and bring them to school, what to do.

But what I can say is our members, the teachers, stayed away from the compound ensuring that OSH personnel and the Ministry of Education officials fix and secure the building,” Sydney said. Speaking with reporters outside the school, the president charged that the decision to reopen classes is a breach of the Children’s Act, Chapter 46:01 (Prevention of Cruelty to Children and Young Person.

“We expected that charges be laid but for some strange reason the officer was given directives to stand down on that and take further directives.

We are very upset at this time.

We would like to see this sorted out and the union is going to take action through legal means to ensure that no one escapes judgement based on these horrible and rogue practices,” Sydney said.

Following the report yesterday, a police officer was seen leaving the school’s compound Police sources confirmed that an investigation was launched to determine if the administrator in question is culpable of the alleged offence.

PC Lara of the Santa Flora Police Station is continuing investigations.