Awnings for Scarborough RC but no work on slippery tiles

Into the second day of the second term of the school year, Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) Tobago Officer, Orlando Kerr says the union has adopted a “wait and see approach” to promised repair works on slippery tiles at the Scarborough RC primary school and a sewer system problem at the Anglican Primary.

“We are monitoring the situation, but as far as I am aware… no work was really done at Scarborough RC, nothing was done at Speyside with the issues on the sewer system, so it’s a kind of wait and see for us at this point,” Kerr said on Saturday.

Newsday Tobago understands that was ongoing last Saturday on installation of awnings at the Scarborough RC, but one parent who children goes to the school, said this would not solve the problem of wet tiles which saw at least four students and two teachers slipping and falling to the ground from almost the start of the last school term.

On October 15, the Division of Education issued a press release stating that the Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL), the project manager for construction of the school has engaged contractor Eric Lewis to begin remedial works. The Division said work was expected to begin on October 19, 2018 in block E, and will include installation of awnings to reduce the water flow on the corridor. The Division said after consultation with a floor specialist, it was recommended that an epoxy topping be applied to the existing tiles. It said work should be completed in an approximately two weeks.

On November 15, the Division confirmed that there were issues of flooding at Scarborough RC School during an incidence of heavy rainfall, with Schools Supervisor 1, Milton Eastman, stated that the school had to be dismissed early on November 14 even though in-house measures and additional staff were put in place to assist with containing the flooding. He said the situation became overwhelming and the safety of staff and students was made a priority.

The release also reported Administrator in the Division, Jacqueline Job said there was a delay in the installation of awnings due to a need to resolve issues with project manager, the Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL). Job also said there was a delay in obtaining the material from abroad to fix the tiles.

The Scarborough RC school, on Smithfield Road in Scarborough, was commissioned on August 29, 2018, built at a cost of $85 million. It was said to be OSHA compliant and easily accessible for the differently abled, as well being the first of its kind in TT, boasting three storeys with 27 classrooms to accommodate 750 students, a staff room, a computer room, a cafeteria, sick bay, a library, a chapel and an elevator.