00:00$10 million was spent to refurbish St. George's College, yet still, there are a lot of work
00:06to be done at the school.
00:08The president of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association, Martin Lumpkin, tells
00:13us climate change is posing a new problem for St. George's College and other schools
00:18throughout Trinidad and Tobago.
00:20He said apart from the recent flooding and rodent issue, the other major problem is a
00:24lack of proper ventilation.
00:27As you know, with the high temperatures, and throughout Trinidad and Tobago, we have schools
00:31with that challenge.
00:32But with St. George's College, it is perennial, and it is really bad at this time.
00:40And the labs are not prepared.
00:44The labs are not fit for occupation at this time.
00:48The tutor president believes the Ministry of Education's Adopt-a-School program can
00:52help address some of the issues schools across TNT are facing.
00:57The Ministry would have spoken about the Adopt-a-School, and we're really hoping that
01:01that program can help to address.
01:04Because if you are going to install cooling units, now fans will just blow hot air.
01:09They can, you know, be a short term, but in the long term, we believe that classes need
01:15to be air-conditioned.
01:16And if you do that, then you have a subsequent problem with electrical upgrades, which will
01:23take a lot of money.
01:24But the Ministry of Education has to take the forefront in this opportunity, and the
01:29opportunity to take, you know, the lead in it, and to probably engage in stakeholders,
01:34hospitals, et cetera, et cetera.
01:36And commenting on the Mount Hoop Secondary School, Mr. Lumpkin said the situation there
01:41has gotten worse.
01:43He added, the staff is refusing to work because of the issues that they face daily.
01:48They have experienced even worse because there was a, in one of the blocks, the concrete,
01:56a piece of concrete fell.
01:58And so they continue to have the issue.
02:01One of the teachers in putting on the light switch in part of the staff room got a shock
02:07as well.
02:08A teacher was bitten by a wasp, I believe it is.
02:14Some of these students have continued to experience some medical challenges as well, too.
02:20Lumpkin said his association is willing to work with the Ministry of Education to ensure
02:25all students and staff are safer during school hours.
02:29Charlotte Kisto, TV6 News.
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