NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced on Thursday that the Sybil Strachan Primary School will be closed today (Friday).
And while no reason for the closure was given in the Ministry’s issued statement, Eyewitness News Online understands that the closure comes following allegations of a scabies outbreak at the Carmichael Road school.
Teachers at Sybil Strachan Primary, formerly known as Carmichael Primary, participated in a sit-in on Thursday in the staff lounge, fearful of the contagious skin condition which is caused by mites.
When Eyewitness News visited the school grounds yesterday, the principal refused to speak and instructed the security to order us off the campus.
However, while at the school, a parent told Eyewitness News that her son recently came home with a questionable breakout on his skin, but she could not confirm if the outbreak was in fact scabies.
The statement released Thursday from the MOE asked Sybil Strachan Primary teachers to report to the T.G. Glover Junior High School at 9 a.m. today.
Attempts to reach Minister of Education Jeff Lloyd and Director of Education Marcellus Taylor for comment proved futile.
Sybil Strachan Primary is the second government school to close this week due to health concerns.
Earlier this week, reports of mould and other issues surfaced at the C.W. Sawyer Primary School on the Tonique Williams-Darling Highway. This led the MOE to shut the school down on Thursday and today for further investigation.
Meanwhile, Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) president Belinda Wilson declared yesterday that she is prepared to go to the International Labor Organization (ILO) or Amnesty International if working conditions for teachers around the country are not improved.
