00:00 "Secondary school, right now! Right now! Secondary school, right now!"
00:07 That was the call from protesting parents of students at the Gasparolo Secondary School on Friday morning.
00:12 They were joined by Member of Parliament for Tabakit, Anita Haynes.
00:16 President of the Parent Teacher Association, Joselle Raymond, says it was only three weeks ago that parents got information on the condition of the school.
00:25 "The school is in need of dire repairs, it is dilapidated and we maintain that it is unsafe to have students and teachers on this compound."
00:33 "We're talking about mould and mildew, we are talking about windows that are not properly secure, we are talking about structural defects."
00:43 Laverne Thomas, a parent of a four-month student, states that she was told that the school was under construction, but that information has been received without.
00:52 "Nothing has been done in the first place, there was nothing being done, you understand, and this is madness.
00:58 So we need to know when the school is going to be fixed, the children are home, they are saying that the children are not going to have no online classes, what's going on?"
01:06 While the students initially went out of school at the start of the new academic year on September 4th, we're told that the PTA called for parents to keep their children at home in light of the protest action.
01:17 "This morning's attendance was 21 students, we have an approximate student body of 750, so the majority of parents listened to the call."
01:27 Raymond alleges that a student has already been injured and had to seek medical attention.
01:32 "Using the handrails, the metal shavings went into his finger and he was severely damaged."
01:37 It was only on Wednesday that MP Haynes, at a United National Congress press conference, made similar claims about deplorable conditions at the school, which she supported by photographs.
01:48 Haynes tells us the problem is an old one, which has been reported time and time again.
01:54 "Nobody wants to send their children in an unsafe environment, but then you have a balancing act because you want your children to be educated."
02:02 After the protest, Haynes raised the issue in Parliament, suggesting that the school is collapsing.
02:08 She asked for a status update on the urgent repairs that are required.
02:12 In response, Minister of Education Dr. Nyan Gatsby-Dawley refuted Haynes' suggestion.
02:19 "Madam Speaker, the infrastructure at Gatsby-Dawley Secondary has shown no sign of being structurally compromised and is therefore not collapsing."
02:28 However, the minister admitted that the school, which is 39 years old, does require extensive repair.
02:34 According to Dr. Gatsby-Dawley, some of the works that were deemed critical were done during the July-August vacation.
02:42 "These were roof and seating replacements in Block B and covered walkways.
02:47 These works were completed and AC units are currently being replaced and/or serviced at the school.
02:54 The next phase of work schedule, which was agreed upon when the ministry officials visited the school with the staff on September 7, 2023,
03:04 includes electrical work to Block B and E and the admin blocks,
03:10 bagel-proofing repair to Blocks B and E,
03:13 other repairs to Block B, including railings, stairwells, windows, partitions, box drains, masonry repair and repainting."
03:22 Questioned about the deplorable ceiling which could be seen from outside of the school,
03:27 the minister clarified that the completion of the ceiling works referred to Block B.
03:33 "Those have been completed as certified by our facilities department as well as the NMDS.
03:39 So I am not sure where the member took the pictures.
03:42 However, as I indicated, there is other work to be done at the school and that has been scheduled.
03:48 The most critical works were completed and the work continues at Gaspelo Secondary."
03:54 The minister has not given a time frame but she said the works are scheduled to continue over the academic year.
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