Arima school holds off protest

The students returned to the El Carmen Street, Arima school yesterday. Their parents decided to keep them at home last week, following the robbery of a teacher at the school on September 23 at about 10 am. At the time the teacher was teaching her second-year class.

The bandit who took the teachers handbag gained entry to the school’s compound through a hole in the fence at the back of the school. The school has one female security officer posted at the entrance to the school.

Sharon Samuel, chairman of the schools Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA), told Newsday yesterday, the children returned to classes, but nothing has changed. She said the security firm hired by the ministry to provide security at the school, has provided an additional security at the school for this week alone. The cost is being borne by the firm.

The construction of the perimeter wall has not yet begun, and Samuel said ministry officials are now saying construction will start this week. She said Member of Parliament for Arima, Pennelope Beckles, was able to have the bushes at the back of the school cut, however it is now easier for the bandits to enter the school.

Samuel said parents are pleading with the ministry to get its house in order.

"We will give them the rest of the week to see what measures they put in place in terms of more security officers, and if the wall will actually start."

She said later this week they will decide whether to voice their disgust publicly by protesting.

Ministry officials yesterday were awaiting a report on the matter from the School Supervisor III.