BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — AFTER months of extensive work to ensure that Cayon High School is in a suitable condition to accommodate students and teachers, the institution is set to reopen for the new academic year.
This development comes as the Ministry of Education enters the final phase of upgrading the school’s furniture, following a shipment from the United States. The updates were prompted by public outcries from teachers and parents regarding the school's condition.
Earlier this year, the government was compelled to close the school after teachers protested against the poor conditions, which included mold, exposed electrical infrastructure, dilapidated furniture, and other serious issues. Tests conducted at the school confirmed the presence of mold.
Providing an update on the situation, Education Minister Geoffrey Hanley informed SKNVibes News that, "Based on the meeting that I had with the maintenance unit, we are on target with the work that is planned for the Cayon High School."
Hanley explained that despite recent weather disruptions, the project is back on schedule, and students are expected to return to school on the first Monday in September.
Following the interview, Minister Hanley was scheduled to visit the school to personally assess the progress made by the contractors and determine if any additional work is required.
"One of the things I can confirm is that the school will be outfitted with new furniture," the minister stated.
Since the issues at Cayon High School became public, both the current and previous administrations, along with the Ministry of Education, have faced significant criticism regarding the maintenance of schools across the Federation.
“We were able to, as a government, procure furniture in terms of the principal room, the staff room. Those desks and chairs were quite many years, and we are now replacing them, and most importantly, when I visited Miami on one of my trips, I had a conversation with a Kittitian who was an educator there, and I expressed my concern and my desire in accessing furniture, desks and chairs and tables, and immediately,” Hanley told SKNVibes News.
He added, "This does not include another three 40-foot containers coming from Texas, or the additional 600 desks and chairs that I promised to deliver."
