Schools still closed, students in self-quarantine

THE Maraval RC and Tacarigua Presbyterian Primary schools remain closed, days after one student tested positive for covid19 and another student interacted with an infected person.

Maraval RC was closed on Monday after an SEA student tested positive on Friday. At Tacarigua Presbyterian, another SEA student became a primary contact after a relative tested positive for the virus last week. The Ministry of Health closed both schools immediately when these facts became known.

On Tuesday, Sharon Mangroo, CEO of the Catholic Education Board of Management, told Newsday the Ministry of Health closed Maraval RC for two weeks. The school must then wait for approval from the ministry to reopen.

The principal sanitised in and around the building on the day it closed and the school plans to hire a private company to do additional sanitisation.

Mangroo said on Tuesday, “We proposed to the minister (of Education Anthony Garcia) special consideration to the students writing the exams. They can do the makeup exams, which is an exam for students who are unable to write the test for some reason. Or if they consider writing both (August 20 and makeup exams.)”

From last Friday, all students were placed under self-quarantine for 14-days. They have all been swabbed and are awaiting the results.

Mangroo said, “Parents have been expressing anxiety which they say is hanging over their heads. Some parents are saying let them do it (the exams) regardless. And some parents say they are not putting their children through this. We ask the ministry to communicate a bit more to give assurances and settle their (parents) minds.” She said that Garcia said he would consider the request.

Tunapuna/Piarco Regional Corporation’s building on Centenary Street was also closed on Monday for sanitisation, after a member of staff interacted with a covid19 patients, Newsday was told. Work at the corporation continued as usual on Tuesday.

When Newsday contacted the Presbyterian Primary Schools Board of Education office, a representative said they are waiting for an update from the Tacarigua Presbyterian School’s principal and Chief Medical Officer Dr Roshan Parasram.

The school is expected to be sanitised by the end of this week. Members of the board are discussing proper and regular sanitisation in the future.

On Tuesday, the TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), said in a release, “The association is sympathetic to the anxiety being experienced by parents, students and teachers because of these closures and what they may mean about the possible spread of the virus.”

The association asked teachers to report any unsafe working conditions to principals and called on the Ministry of Health to provide all schools with thermometers and trained health officials to supervise their use.

“TTUTA reminds the Ministry of Education of its legal responsibility by law to ensure a safe working environment for teachers which ultimately is the learning environment of pupils.”