Barrackpore students sent home as schools damaged by quake

STUDENTS of the Barrackpore East Secondary and Barrackpore West Secondary schools who turned up for classes this morning were turned away after being told their schools are unsafe.

Parent, Priya Jacob, told Newsday her children attend Barrackpore West Secondary and were told there will be no classes until the Ministry of Education declares the buildings safe to occupy.

The building was damaged by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake on August 21.

“Around 9.30 am my son borrowed a phone from another student and told me they were being kept in the multi-purpose hall and they were told there would be no classes until the ministry says the buildings are safe,” she said.

“They said the school will not be closed but the teachers are not willing to risk their safety and the children’s safety by using the damaged classrooms.”

She said her niece attends Barrackpore East and has told her that a staircase on one of the classroom blocks detached from the building during the earthquake.

“She said the entire staircase is leaning away from the building so the East students were also sent home this morning.”

On Thursday, Jacob said parents were told that the orientation session for Form One students was cancelled as there were concerns about the structural integrity of the buildings following the earthquake.

On Saturday, Education Minister Anthony Garcia held a press conference, identifying four schools that would not be opened on Monday because of damage caused by the earthquake.

“I read the story and I saw the list of schools Minister Garcia said would not be opened, neither Barrackpore East nor West were on that list, so right now the parents and students are very confused as to what is happening,” Jacob said.

Another school, Vistabella Presbyterian Primary School has also sent pupils home today.