FIX IT: Students of T.A. Thompson may not return to face-to-face due to unfinished repairs

Teachers stage a sickout over poor working conditions

NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Dozens of teachers at the T.A Thompson and Sybil Strachan Schools staged a sick out yesterday after returning to the classroom to “unsafe working conditions”.

One teacher told Eyewitness News that the condition at the schools is not conducive for learning in a pandemic, including the lack of proper ventilation, a dilapidated building, and lack of supplies.

TA Thompson Principal Ishmel Smith Jr insisted that the Ministry of Education has committed to completing the repairs as soon as possible.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the annual Church Service of Thanksgiving for Parliamentarians, Education Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin acknowledged those concerns and charged that these challenges are a reflection of years of neglect.

Hanna-Martin said she only found out about the conditions at the school from the Ministry of Works less than a week ago and having visited the site herself, she understands the concerns.

“I think they tried to put in place a methodology for children to be able to get back in,” she said.

“It appears as if what was being implemented created concern for teachers because of the condition of that block.

“I think what it really highlights is we shouldn’t be in this position in terms of the physical plant of our schools.

“I went there myself the day before yesterday and that is an example of sustained neglect of that school and now the rubber has hit the road with that particular block.

“We cannot use it. It’s a dangerous location from what I can see. I think that we have to get lessons from this.”

Hanna-Martin noted that one of those issues is that the bathrooms are located in that particular block and raises questions of sanitation and ventilation.

She explained that it was expected that teachers would be placed in a separate block for classes, but officials are now trying to determine another way to resume face-to-face classes for the school.

“They have gone back to the drawing board with a view to finding a paradigm that is safe and that gets our children back face to face,” she continued.

“…This really highlights policies that have put us in crisis every minute. We have to move beyond crisis management and get to a more facilitative environment, particularly for education.”

Asked about the way forward for those teachers and students, the education minister said a plan is currently being devised to find a modality to have them face to face.

“If a proper solution has not arrived at they will have to go back fully virtual, which we would regret and I know the parents will be very disappointed.”

During her national address on Sunday, Hanna-Martin advised that while most schools would reopen after months of ongoing repairs, TA Thompson Jr High School and Uriah McPhee Primary School would require some students to remain in virtual learning for a short period until those repairs are complete.

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