Rosary Boys' RC now temporary home for part of St Rose's Girls' RC

ROSARY Boys' RC School, Port of Spain, will house some students from St Rose's Girls RC School, after a section of the latter was condemned in mid-February.

St Rose's RC is on Henry Street, and Rosary Boys' RC is at the corner of Park and Charlotte Street.

With a major section of the school no longer able to be occupied, standard one and two St Rose's Girl's RC students will use the pan room at Rosary Boys' RC on a rotation basis. Standard three students will use the library and standard four students will occupy the reading room.

Catholic Education Board of Management CEO Sharon Mangroo could not give the total number of students affected.

The northern wing at St Rose's – which is over 50 years old – is deemed safe and will continue to be used by infants as well as standard five students.

Mangroo told Newsday the board is "focusing on getting through to the end of the term."

She said the board is liaising with the Ministry of Education on the possibility of using its old offices at Alexandra Street, St Clair, to accommodate most – if not all – of the students. But she said another school is currently using the facilities there.

She made it clear that the use of Rosary Boys' RC is "not projected to be permanent.

"You cant just move children into a space...For something to be a school, there are certain facilities that need to be put in place. You need to make sure the space can have suitable classrooms for children, bathroom facilities, etc."

She said the standard five students were not moved, as their focus right now is preparing for the SEA exam.

"Even if you move them from one room to another, it can put them off for a bit. We did not want to dislocate them at all."

She said the board will continue working with the ministry, adding that plans for rebuilding can only be finalised when it is alocated for in the next budget presentation.