BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - WITH exams right around the corner, the Basseterre High School (BHS) and Washington Archibald High School (WAHS) students will begin their classes in a shift system tomorrow (May 7) at the latter school's compound.
Addressing the nation on Sunday (May 4) on ZIZ Radio and Television, Acting Minister of Education Hon. Marcella Liburd told viewers and listeners that a compromise was met and the BHS students would be able to resume classes at the new temporary location tomorrow.
“I am pleased to be able to report that a shift arrangement has been agreed to, whereby the students of the Basseterre High School will be attending classes at the Washington Archibald High School. This, of course, will require significant adjustments in the normal routines of parents, guardians, teachers and students of the Washington Archibald High School and the Basseterre High School," she said.
Classes for WAHS’ students will begin at 7:45 a.m. and end at 1:15 p.m. while students of the BHS will attend school from 1:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.
Transportation will also be made available for the safe returning of students to their homes in the evening.
Minister Liburd extended thanks to all stakeholders of both schools for their patience and understanding as well as their involvement in the discussions that lead to the Ministry finding a temporary resolution to the matter.
"The Ministry, and by extension the government, wishes on behalf of the entire nation to thank you for your patience and your understanding in the circumstances which we do not in any way take for granted. I know that the entire nation would also wish to join me in expressing heartfelt appreciation to the teachers and parents of the Washington Archibald High School, whose generosity of spirit has made this shift system possible.”
BHS was closed last Monday (Apr. 28) following a visit by the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute which had raised concerns about the overall safety of the learning institution with regards to the lengthy ongoing saga of complaints of skin irritations, dizziness, nausea and respiratory problems, among others, being made by teachers and students.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education recently announced that another research institute, Caribbean Epidemiological Center, was invited to the Federation to conduct tests at the school.
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