Mayaro Secondary gets new furniture for rotation plan

  • Sep, Fri, 2024

Senior Multimedia Reporter

radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt

New furniture has been delivered to the Mayaro Secondary School, as the institution implements a rotation system for students.

The move occurred after parents staged a protest over the school’s conditions on Wednesday.

Speaking to Guardian Media, the school’s PTA president Natalie Chattergoon said the rotation system will be in effect until September 13.

She explained, “Classes resumed on Thursday with students sharing desks and chairs. Form Twos are scheduled for Thursday and Friday, Form Threes for Monday and Tuesday next week, and Form Ones for Wednesday and Thursday of next week. Forms Four, Five and Six will attend school daily.”

Chattergoon noted that while there was some furniture, it was not enough to accommodate all students, leading to the rotation schedule.

On Wednesday, Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly revealed that supplemental funding for furniture was allocated during the vacation period.

“While procurement is underway, the MoE has collaborated with its Nursing Department and the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of T&T to source surplus furniture to address critical needs,” she said.

Dr Gadsby-Dolly also mentioned that investigations are ongoing to determine how the school ended up with no furniture despite being operational two months ago, ahead of the July/August vacation.

TTUTA president Martin Lum Kin recognised the widespread nature of the issue, noting, “The furniture crisis at Mayaro Secondary is not isolated and (similar situations) has affected schools in other areas as well. This issue has persisted for years due to a lack of furniture replenishment.”

He added, “The situation is seriously affecting the teaching and learning process. TTUTA fully supports the parents in their protest and calls for urgent intervention by the ministry to ensure the proper delivery of the curriculum.”

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