BASSETERRE St. Kitts, March 18th 2011 – A septic tank back-up has forced the authorities to disrupt classes for two days at the Sandy Point Primary School.
According to one pupil, teachers told them on Wednesday morning (Mar. 16) that there would be no classes on Thursday and Friday because the septic tank in the school’s compound had to be cleaned.
When contacted, the Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education, Osmond Petty, confirmed that the school has been closed for two days but was very reluctant in providing an answer when asked if plans were in place to make up for missed classes.
“Right now our main concern is health…everything else would fall in place after that,” was all the PS had to say.
Principal of the school Jennifer Dolphin also indicated that the closure of the learning institution was to clean the septic system, adding that the school is a very old one and has been in existence since 1983. “Therefore, sooner or later those kinds of things would have to be done,” she said.
Unlike Petty, Dolphin explained that the two-day closure would not adversely affect the pupils because her teachers usually conduct after school classes. She further explained that they often use their initiative in ways to help the pupils, such as making them arrive early at school for extra help with their work.
She added that it is the first time something of this nature had taken place at the school.
SKNVibes also spoke to a two parents to find out if the temporary closure has affected them and how.
One father of a grade five pupil said yes it has affected him because his son would be at home for two days with nothing to do.
“They could have even given them half day school. My son is just riding his bike up and down…he has nothing to do,” the father indicated.
A mother of a grade one pupil said she sees no problem with school having to be closed for two days, adding that it was a great decision knowing that the septic system could pose a health risk.
She stated that the school’s administrators said there was also a problem with a drain in the school’s compound that had to be rectified, because it was a breeding ground for mosquitoes.
