TTUTA Tobago: Clean dirty water tanks at schools

TT Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) Tobago officer Bradon Roberts is calling on officials of the THA Division of Education, Research and Technology to clean the water tanks at the island’s schools.

In a WhatsApp voice note sent to Newsday on Monday, Roberts voiced his displeasure with the situation, saying the tanks at the schools are dirty. He said this is an issue he has been raising with the division over and over.

“I come to you very displeased with the efforts of the Division of Education,” Roberts said.

“Since last year, we have been urging the division to have the water tanks cleaned to treat with the infrastructural issues before bringing out more students."

He made mention of one such school affected by this issue.

“When I say dirty water, I can freely say so as we have the evidence of Charlotteville Methodist school, where you are actually seeing the elements in the water. They would have recently adjusted the pump and with the extra pressure, you are seeing all the elements in the water, even if you have to cup your hand to catch some of the water.”

He said the matter was raised in the media on the first day of the new school term.

“We are three weeks out and something simple as having the water tanks cleaned, they have failed to do.

“I have been urging the persons at PIU (Project Implementation Unit), the administrator, the assistant secretary, the secretary – I’ve been bringing it to their attention and it’s very disappointing to see that three weeks out, these water tanks are still not clean.”

He claimed the tanks have not been cleaned upwards of five years.

“They are so casual with it; simply telling students to not drink the water does not absolve a principal should someone get sick on the compound.”

He added: “Now when TTUTA steps in to say we’re not operating, everybody jumps (to say), 'We have SEA.'

"But should something happen to a child – who is responsible for such?”

He said while the principals can only do so much. “We also have the situation where some principals are using the limited funds that they have to buy bleach, something simple as bleach, very important for sanitising.”

He added: “We are calling on the division to address these matters now. We are not going to encourage our principals to have this get-it-done, let-it-work attitude and put their jobs at risk, but they are responsible for their plants.”

Newsday made several attempts to contact Secretary of Education Zorisha Hackett and Assistant Secretary Orlando Kerr, but all calls and messages to their mobiles went unanswered.

On February 7, standard five students resumed face-to-face classes. They are expected to be at school four days per week, between 8.30 and 2pm, to prepare for the upcoming SEA exam on March 31. While at the secondary level, students from forms one to three returned to face-to-face classes on a rotational basis. They are expected to attend school for at least two days per week, and five days in a ten-day cycle.