Students of St Joseph Secondary returned to classes on Thursday, two days after teachers staged a drive-out protest over health and safety problems. However, classes were dismissed early for a staff meeting.
PTA president Habeeba Abduljabba said she is disappointed at the way the Ministry of Education has dealt with problems at the school over the years.
“We have been dealing with this matter for the past five years and there were other PTAs that dealt with the matter before. We have spoken to OSHA, we have also written letters to them. We have also dealt with school supervisors from the Ministry of Education, the school district for up here and still nothing,” Abduljabba said.
She said students’ lives are constantly at risk because of the shady characters who lurk around the school, hiding in overgrown bushes, waiting to rob them at gunpoint or knife point.
“I asked the principal about it and he said that he has spoken to the police concerning the matter.
“We are hoping we would have daily patrols. I haven’t heard the children saying anything about patrols by the police so we are not sure as to what is happening with it,” she said.
Abduljabba added that the PTA is renewing their call for a heavier police presence outside of the school and along the Priority Bus Route. She said they were disappointed that Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly had not responded to their concerns.
On Thursday, teachers met with OSH inspectors and officials from the Ministry’s Educational Facilities Planning and Procurement Division and were assured that repairs will be done at the school. However, they were not given a start date for those repairs.