Sando Central Sec classes on rotation: Blocks deemed ‘compromised’

TWO buildings have been deemed compromised and unsafe and thus, classes have been disrupted at the San Fernando Central Secondary School, less than a month since the new school term began.

In a letter to parents dated September 23, the school’s principal Cindy Khan said infrastructure issues affected blocks E and F.

The letter further explained that over the past week, new cracks were noticed in block E which houses six female students’ washrooms, rendering the area unsafe for occupation.

This was in addition to ongoing issues at block F, where specialist rooms such as drama, music, technical drawing and food and nutrition are located. The notice said this has caused classes in these rooms to be displaced and alternative arrangements had to be made.

In light of these safety concerns, the school will operate its classes on a rotational schedule to accommodate the use of teaching rooms and limited wash room facilities, until such time as construction work, overseen by the Ministry of Education, is completed. This adjustment is necessary to ensure all students have access to a safe learning environment, the notice said.

According to a schedule attached to the notices, forms five and six students will have classes daily, Monday to Friday, while students in forms one to four will be rotated daily, starting from September 25.

Form four students were first out on Wednesday and would be followed by form three students on Thursday, and form two students on Friday.

For the week of September 30, classes will begin with form one on Monday, form two on Tuesday, form three on Wednesday, form two on Thursday and back to form one again on Friday.

The letter said an updated schedule would be sent out for the remaining weeks.

However, a subsequent letter was sent on Wednesday with an amended schedule which omitted the roster for next week. Instead, this letter said: “The ministry will communicate within this time frame as to the way forward for the functioning of the school, and you shall be duly informed by the administration and staff.”

Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly told Newsday via WhatsApp that the ministry is discussing alternative arrangements for students in forms one to four.

She said a Ministry of Works and Transport-led inspection of the compromised buildings, which her ministry requested, resulted in the advice on Monday that blocks E and F need to be demolished and rebuilt.

“Based on this assessment, the school has been advised to implement an approved rotational schedule,” the minister said.

“The ministry is presently discussing alternative accommodation arrangements for some of the students, so that the entire student body will be able to attend classes daily while the necessary rebuilding is being done.”

The school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) president Francis Sampson told Newsday the condemned areas have since been cordoned off and students prohibited from venturing near them. She believes a solution is quickly needed to minimise the impact on students’ education.

“The PTA of the school is very willing to work with the school in bridging the gap as well as the Ministry of Education in coming to an amicable and decisive decision in terms of getting the school back up and running to its full capacity.”

“This is no fault of anyone as this school is an aged one. It’s roughly 62 years so we would expect these things to happen.”

As he waited outside the school to pick up his two children who are in form five and four, and a niece who is in form four, Deodath Sammy said the schedule he received in the school notice was difficult.

“That (schedule) kind of hard. Them children have to go to school. They have to find a way to get their studies done. If they miss school they would lose out,” Sammy said.

While the Ministry of Education seeks a solution, Sampson suggested the installation of temporary air-conditioned prefabricated classrooms.

Another parent who was outside the school suggested a return to online classes could be a more immediate solution.

Gadsby-Dolly did not respond to subsequent questions from Newsday on if remote learning would be explored as a temporary solution.