Build new school

Sixth-form students of the Scarborough Secondary School are calling on the Tobago House of Assembly to build them a new school.

They made their call during a small protest by several angry students at the school’s entrance on Thursday morning.

The student chanted, “We want a new school” and, “Whey the THA?” and cited a number of healths hazards that they say have gone unnoticed by the Division of Education, Innovation and Energy and Chief Secretary Kelvin Charles.

One student told the media, “What we want is the current administration to stop giving us promises to pacify us.

“We want a 100 per cent clearance at our school that it is safe for students and staff.” She said the problem will take more than a year to fix because of the large number of issues. “We want this administration to understand that the students should be a priority...We just want our voices and cries to be heard.”

She said light fixtures were collapsing and there were holes in the ceilings, rodents and dysfunctional a/c units. The pupils are asking for a safe space conducive to learning.

She said after clearance was given on Wednesday, students found broken glass on the floor when they turned up for classes.

“It’s not that they can say they can move us out of the way just in case a light or rat may fall on a student. They can’t say that because the classrooms are overpopulated. It is dangerous for us. “The labs are cordoned off, and students have to use these labs for CAPE. We have 800-plus students here, which mean 800 lives are at stake, and we need our cries to be heard.”The students also complained of flooding at the school in bad weather. “Thank you for the LED bulbs in place of fluorescent light, but we don’t understand what is the obsessions with bulbs.

“Scarborough Secondary is floating away. We need life jackets if we can’t get more labs so when the school floats away we can swim.” The students are also asking to be temporarily relocated while a permanent solution is worked out.

In a post-budget retreat press conference at Mt Irvine on Wednesday evening, Charles said a parcel of land has been identified, though he could not say where, and the division is in the evaluation process.

Parents and students want to see the budget and plans, and said, “We were told there was a site visit but why was there no work done?”

Cindy Briggs, mother of two students at the school, said she was proud of them and is eager to hear the division’s response.

“A parcel of land being valuated at this time doesn’t give me comfort. I want to hear what the plan is and what the timeline is.”

Fire officers said it was safe to resume school on Thursday after all the light fixtures in Block B were changed. On October 18 and 21 the school was evacuated after students and teachers complained of a strong smell of smoke in the classrooms.

After an investigation by the fire services, PRO David Thomas told Newsday no fire was found but smoke was coming from somewhere. On Tuesday he said it was caused by overheating light fixture. He told Newsday all work and checks were completed on Wednesday. Orlando Kerr Tobago, TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) officer, told Newsday on Thursday the teachers had decided to stay away from classes. They will return after the electrical inspectorate inspects the school and a certificate of clearance is given.