New school hours proposed!
By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes
~~Adz:Left~~BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - PARENTS across the island are voicing their concerns regarding a proposed change in the traditional hours children are required to attend classes at schools on St. Kitts.
SKNVibes understands that as early as the beginning of this week, Parent Teachers Associations (PTAs) of various schools on St. Kitts have been meeting in order to afford members [parents and teachers] the opportunity to discuss the proposal and share their views.
In some quarters, rumours suggested that the regular daily school hours, 8: a.m. to 3:30 p.m., is likely to be changed to 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. while in others it is to be changed from the former to 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Minister of Education Osmond Petty, when asked by SKNVibes if there were any truth to the rumours, explained that in the most recent Green Paper, a time change was proposed. The education official explained however that he is unaware of the time changes as suggested in the rumours.
The PS, who drafted the said Green Paper, pointed out that since the proposal was made, school officials were advised to discuss the issue with parents/guardians of students of the respective schools, with the aim of gathering information and its dissemination to the Ministry of Education.
This information, Petty explained, is to be compiled into a report and submitted to the Education Department which will be reviewed by the relevant individuals there.
“I know of a green paper that has been approving a change of the school day. I don’t know of any set time. What we have done is encourage the schools to discuss this with parents and get feedback from them which they would report to the Ministry.”
SKNVibes met with parents of children from a number of the high schools, who said that if the proposed change is as “ridiculous as 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., it might do more harm than good.
At it is now, when children come from school, some are unattended for about an hour because the parents are still working. What will happen if the time is changed? It means then that children are left up to themselves for a longer period of time. It is not even to say that in St. Kitts we have afterschool programmes to accommodate the children from the end of school until we, the parents, get home.”
Others have posed questions regarding the necessity of making such a change, citing that it does not seem to be a feasible venture.
