St John’s Anglican School to get new roof

Hours after parents of pupils attending St John’s Anglican School staged a protest yesterday, parents received news that the Ministry of Education had awarded a contract to replace the roof of their 100-year-old school building.

The protest occurred early yesterday, a week after a rotation system was implemented following the collapse of part of the school’s roof last month which resulted in the condemnation of the upper floor.

Since then, Standard Three pupils have been taking turns to attend classes under a shed, exposed to the elements.

Speaking to Guardian Media, parent Olivia Burke said the rotation was not the best option, adding that parents had identified alternative locations for classes.

She warned that they would keep their children out of school if the Ministry did not meet their demands.

“We need a new school. It is dangerous for the children to be here. The school is falling apart. There is no space to accommodate all 135 students, and now we are on a two-week rotation where Standard 1, 2, and 3 students attend school for five days every two weeks. That is unacceptable.”

Burke pointed out that the shed had left pupils vulnerable to the weather.

“Rain wets them, sun burns them. The roof is falling apart. There are plenty of cracks in the walls and floors, and the ceiling is unsafe,” she said.

Another parent, Krystal Patrick, who has three children attending the school, said efforts to relocate pupils had stalled despite meetings between the Anglican Board and the Ministry of Education.

“We have been told we would be relocated to San Fernando, but nothing has been done. The community centre houses two classrooms,” she explained.

Patrick expressed frustration over the rotation system.

“It is not working. My child spends five days at home. They are not learning. The space is frustrating, and it is affecting their mental health. Six classrooms are cramped downstairs. There should have been four. One teacher has to take a class outside, and students have to carry their desks in and out every day,” she lamented.

She added, “The Ministry needs to read our letters because this is unsafe. It’s frustrating for both students and teachers.”

Another parent, Rekha Rajoo, spoke about the emotional toll on her son.

“This is affecting him. Stability and focus are gone. Last month, a piece of wood fell from the ceiling while students were upstairs. They had to run downstairs. The children are afraid for their lives.”

Rajoo called for immediate action.

She said, “These children are our future. The Ministry needs to put things in place for them. The learning environment is supposed to be safe, but right now, the upstairs is condemned.”

Contacted for comment, councillor for Corinth Cedar Hill, Shawn Premchand, expressed his frustration with the situation.

“We know $20 million was allocated for school repairs, but not a cent has been allocated to St. John’s Anglican,” he said.

Guardian Media contacted Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly for comment but is still awaiting a response.

However, MP Rodney Charles told Guardian Media that he was informed the roof repair contract was awarded and repairs would take between two and three months to complete.

He said school officials asked to use the St John’s Community Centre but were told by the Community Council it would cost parents $1,500 per week to rent it.

Charles called on the Government to intervene and provide the centre to the students while their school roof was being built.

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