Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Primary School is closed today, Monday, announced Minister of Education, Culture Youth and Sports (ECYS) Rodolphe Samuel. The Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU) recently sent him a letter expressing dismay over the ongoing accommodation problems there.
The minister had been in the Netherlands on a working trip then, but the day after his return he visited the school for an urgent meeting with its management and officials from the Department of Public Education. While there he learned of a broken sewage line that was fixed the same Monday afternoon.
It appears two classrooms developed leaks when tarpaulin covering them was damaged. During repairs to a section of the roof last October part of the tarp and tiling had been removed and a membrane sealing was applied.
On Tuesday railings were also installed on the main stairs for the first time since the building was constructed and on Wednesday at 3:00pm a decontamination company disinfected the entire premises as part of mould and fungus prevention measures usinga chemical that allows people back inside after eight hours.
On Thursday inspectors of the Public Health, Social Affairs and Labor VSA Ministry came at 3:00pm and held a control during which no mould or fungus was observed. They did, however, express concern about leaks where there is still tarp, a lack of non-slip floor tiles in some areas and the need to replace lights in certain classrooms.
To be on the safe side air quality testing was requested and conducted on Friday as teachers and students worked remotely. Although a verbal update of the findings had been given, compiling the report would take a few days.
A decision was made not to reopen the school yet and hold follow-up meetings today, Monday. How long the doors are to stay shut was not immediately clear, but the minister did say the main step now will be to find alternative housing for classrooms, because “if the roof needs to be removed it cannot be done with children inside.”
While the latter might mean more temporary inconvenience for staff, parents and pupils, it seems like the only way to ensure a structural and sustainable solution.
