Arima school falling down

Several of the pupils from the Standard Three classroom have been moved to another class in the same building, but it is the same building where part of the floor collapsed.

Also, students who have already sat the SEA examinations have been asked to remain at home.

"We want someone from the Ministry of Education to indicate to us that this is safe! We don’t know what can happen, the walls are shaking if you push or touch it, and the floors are moving," one teacher told Newsday. "Fortunately, no one was hurt."

The 23-year-old school has been earmarked for repair, but to date the students and teachers are facing hazardous conditions. When this Newsday reporter walked into one classroom the ground was sinking and shaking.

"The wood was eaten by termites, and we can’t put boards in the holes because the students will trip!" the teacher said angrily.

Another teacher complained of a lack of communication between the Ministry of Education and the schools.

"What kind of hands-off approach is that! It is not that we don’t want to work, we are here!"

The teachers added that there were no windows in the school and the children were made to huddle in a corner to avoid getting wet when it rained.

"Until the new school is built, what are we going to do?"

Students of the Russell Latapy Secondary School have also had their share of problems. They had to remain at home two days ago because of the presence of a ‘‘gaseous’’ smell, but returned yesterday after the school was checked by the EMA and the Regional Health Authority.

"We took precautions and sent the children home, the EMA did not confirm what it was," one teacher said.

The Ministry of Education has also asked Tranquillity Government Primary School to hold their classes at the OWTU Hall and the NUGFW building, as the school has been carded for demolition. However pupils and teachers "have left the frying pan and jumped into the fire by leaving one dilapidated site to another hazardous location," one official said.

The official noted that the OWTU Hall is in a state of disrepair with holes in the roof and no windows, and because of the neighbouring Salvation Army’s Working Lads Hostel, on Henry Street, Port-of-Spain, being repaired, dust, debris and nails fall on students, at the Tranquillity Government School.

The students will attend classes on Thursday after a clean-up exercise at the OWTU. The remainder of the Working Lads Hostel will be taken down this weekend, while the studentsQ are at home.