Primary school pan champs St Margaret's need help

AFTER winning their 12th National Junior Panorama competition in the primary school category on Sunday, the students of St Margaret's Boys' Anglican Primary School in Belmont were in a festive mood on Monday.

In a phone interview with Newsday, principal Colette Perez said after a busy Sunday, she expected the players to stay home, but was surprised to see them out bright and early, celebrating with their peers.

"We had them out with all the trophies and the cap. They sang the song, they drummed and the whole school cheered.”

Perez said celebrations will continue on Wednesday at church mass.

She said the school's musical programme introduces pan from the first year and students are always eager to get involved, with most joining a youth and conventional band after leaving the school.

"We are not a Carnival band. We do not only practise for Carnival. The boys playing now have been playing pan since the first year."

Perez acknowledges challenges faced in the past, such as having to borrow pans for practice at one point, though the school now has its own.

Despite this, the steelband is still facing issues.

“The problem now is we need to refurbish those pans. We have been using them for some time now.

"And the pan room is in desperate need of repair. It needs to be soundproofed again. Just before covid19 we had a rat infestation. and everything had to come down.”

She said the school has been supported by the community and parents, stressing the important role parents play in making the school's music programme a success.

“We are looking for sponsors, but there is a strong parent-teacher body and we make it happen. St Margaret's has been doing this for quite a while."

Her love of pan, the creative arts and students' enthusiasm for the programme keep her and her staff motivated.

"As a student who struggled in primary and for a while in secondary school, music helped me settle, and I try to give that to my students.

"We're not just pan. The boys are good at sports, they have been North Zone champions. It is an active school, not just academic, it's a holistic experience.”

She concluded by saying the song arranger is a past pupil of the school and the school will be defending its title in 2025. She hopes to still help, citing this as her final year.

The school, which did not compete in 2023, began practising in July.

Twelve primary schools competed in total. The school won the title in 2004, 2006-2013, 2017 and 2018.

On Sunday, the school won the competition with 271 points, beating Guaico Presbyterian, which came second with 266 points and San Fernando Boys' RC, also called Sando Boys' Steel, which finished third with 256 points.

The school performed Olatunji's Engine Room, also performed by two other schools, Couva Anglican and St Mary's Government School in Moruga.

After the win on Sunday, PTA president Nisha Thomas told Newsday the students had worked very hard and gave their all. She pleaded for assistance for the young players, saying the pan room is dilapidated.

"If anyone is willing to assist in helping us fix the pan room, they are free to do a site visit and come and support the school.

"This win was bittersweet. This is lucky number 12 for us, and next year we are coming out for 13."