Education minister: No tuberculosis at Tranquillity Secondary

EDUCATION Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby Dolly said there is no confirmed case of tuberculosis at Tranquillity Secondary School in Port of Spain.

On January 17, officials from the ministries of education and health met with parents and staff at Tranquillity Secondary, as well as with Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers' Association (TTUTA) president Martin Lum Kin, to inform them of a suspected case of tuberculosis at the school and allay fears of staff and students.

On January 18, Gadsby-Dolly told Newsday officials from the Ministry of Health (MoH) as well as the Ministry of Education's (MoE) District Health Unit visited the school and spoke to the school supervisors, principal, teaching staff, the parent teachers association (PTA), and TTUTA representatives.

"The school has been sanitised, and any further protocols or procedures required will be followed, as advised by the MoH. What has been recommended up to this time has been done," she said.

Lum Kin told the Newsday on Thursday that the parent of a student was the positive person.

He said the individual's children, including the Tranquillity student, were tested and quarantined.

Based on patient confidentiality, the name of the student and class have been withheld.

“The MoE promised proper sanitising of the compound, but TTUTA is of the opinion that the MoE is not serious and are taking the members of staff for granted,” Lum Kin said.

In a January 17 release, TTUTA said while the student was tested and quarantined, further tests must be done to fully ascertain any signs of infection.

It said the principal wrote to the Port of Spain City Corporation for assistance in sanitising the school as it was agreed this was necessary.

“It was agreed that handwashing/hand sanitising protocols and the wearing of masks by all occupiers of the compound should be immediately implemented, although not fully alleviated of their fears, they were looking forward to the thorough sanitation of the entire compound which was expected to be done on the following day."

After school was dismissed on January 17, Lum Kin said the schools supervisor III met with the principal and staff representatives to inform them of the decision by the director of school supervision not to have the compound sanitised as promised, given that the incubation period for tuberculosis had already passed.

“He also added that there would be no need to close school for a full day or any part thereof.”

When staff representatives requested that information in writing, Lum Kin said no such commitment was received.

“Additionally, it was added that the ministry instructed MTS to sanitise the school’s compound either before or after school, or during the lunch interval the following day. Members of staff were left feeling confused and upset, since this was not communicated to them in the meeting that was held earlier.

“The staff is of the opinion that given the highly contagious nature of Tuberculosis, the school must be thoroughly sanitised to ensure the safety of all on the compound. “

TTUTA also called on the MoE to release the tranches of funds allocated to the school, to ensure the resources to implement the protocols are readily available.

TTUTA said it will monitor the situation and update the membership.