Fyzabad school falling down, classes suspended

CLASSES at Fyzabad Anglican Secondary School have been disrupted because a building which previously housed nine classes is in a state of near-collapse.

Since the term started on Monday students have not been taught because teachers refuse to walk through the unsafe building to get to other classroomswhere students have been relocated.

A structural engineer and Education Ministry staff visited on Thursday but there is no official word about the state of the building.

President of the Parent Teachers Association Everald Jeffrey said students started coming to school, but because there is no supervision, as teachers refuse to work under the present conditions, classes have been suspended.

He said the building in contention housed nine Forms Three and Four classes and occupants fear it could collapse. He said the relocation of the classes was less than acceptable.

Parents have indicated their intention to protest next Monday if no proper arrangements are made.

Fyzabad MP Dr Lackram Bodoe has written to Education Minister Anthony Garcia about the plight of the students after complaints were made to him.

“Parents as well as staff at the school have expressed their concerns to me about the safety of themselves and their children regarding the presence of the building, which could be deemed a hazard.

“Staff are also uneasy about the disruption of regular classes, as some 400 students who are usually housed in the building in question have been relocated to various other classrooms that were previously designated for other activities.”

He said accommodation had also been made for some of the displaced students to use the library, but this would be inconvenient for those preparing for exams.

Bodoe said he had a discussion with the principal, Cynthia Seepaul, who said the ministry gave no commitment as to whether the school is to be rebuilt or the students temporarily relocated.

He said Minister of State in the Education Ministry Dr Lovell Francis visited the school on August 21 so he might be aware of the issues student and staff are experiencing.

Bodoe then called on Garcia to bring a speedy resolution to the problem.