After environmental problems recently resurfaced at the Lawrence T. Gay Memorial School in Spooners Hill, St Michael, the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training started to relocate some students and teachers to alternative venues for classes on Wednesday.
This was done after consultations with teachers, parents and the Barbados Union of Teachers.
Here is a statement from the Education Ministry about the current situation:
On October 31, the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training (METVT) became aware of the continued discomfort experienced by some teachers at the Lawrence T Gay Memorial Primary School, Spooners Hill, St. Michael, as a result of a reported offensive odour.
The METVT, in an effort to ensure that children at the school continued to be educated without disruption, and to investigate the reports made by the teachers, took the decision to relocate those students and teachers whose classes had been reportedly affected.
Consequently, three alternative locations were selected: Grace Hill Moravian Church (Spooners Hill, St. Michael), The Church of Christ the King (Rock Dundo, St. Michael) and Sharon Moravian Church (Sharon, St. Thomas). The relocation of some classes occurred on Wednesday, November 9.
While all students of the Lawrence T Gay Memorial Primary School remained at home on Monday, November 7 and Tuesday November 8, the teachers prepared the classrooms at the alternative sites. The relocation is expected to continue until the end of Term 1.
It is to be noted that on Friday, November 4, the METVT met with the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT) to discuss the concerns expressed by those teachers who had been reportedly affected.
On Sunday, November 6, the Ministry met with parents and guardians to inform them about the outcome of the meeting with the BUT and about the imminent relocation of some classes to the three sites. All parents/guardians had been notified of the meeting via the regular channels of communication for matters concerning the school.
The METVT, along with the Ministry of Health and Wellness; the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Third Sector; the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security; the Environmental Protection Department; and its private sector partners, will continue investigations on the compound of the school and its immediate environs.
The METVT thanks the staff, parents/guardians and students for their understanding and patience as it works assiduously to remedy this situation at the Lawrence T Gay Memorial Primary School. (METVT)
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