TTUTA Tobago hails Ash Wednesday turnout; 2 schools closed owing to oil spill

PARENTS have heeded the call from the Division of Education to send their charges to school on Ash Wednesday.

Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers’ Association (TTUTA) Tobago Officer Bradon Roberts said, based on the feedback received, there was a normal turnout of both students and teachers.

“They came out as the regular days, the average days. It’s a little less in terms of the students than normal in terms of the average days, but it is a lot more than the tradition for an Ash Wednesday.

"So the persons would have heeded the calls by the (Education) Secretary and I believe that because Tobago didn’t have so much of the activities for Carnival Monday and Tuesday, persons are not so exhausted to be able to come out. It seems as though persons would have heeded the calls of the division to have schools operating as it should on Ash Wednesday.”

Prior to the Carnival festivities, THA Secretary in the Division of Education, Research and Technology Zorisha Hackett urged parents to send out their charges. Hackett, in a press release, said in the division’s continuous effort to make the most of the contact hours required for the successful delivery of the curriculum, the division strongly encouraged all parents to prioritise the attendance of their children at their respective schools. She reminded them that February 14 is a regular school day.

Roberts said, "It is seen as an unproductive day, or well was seen as an unproductive day – not only in schools but generally in the public sector. The turnout sometimes, if you get half of the population coming out to school, you would have gotten plenty, but we would have moved to a much healthier turnout this year.”

The division confirmed that two schools – Lambeau Anglican Primary and Scarborough Secondary School – remain closed until further notice.

According to a press release, the schools will remain closed as a result of air quality concerns stemming from the recent oil spill incident. The release asked that all staff, students and parents remain vigilant for forthcoming information and guidance, which will be communicated through official channels.