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CCNTV6
  • 2 months ago
Students attending one of the more marginalized schools in the country - the South east Port of Spain Secondary school are missing two to three days of school each week as a shortage of furniture resulted in a shift system.
Transcript
00:00While most, if not all, the other secondary schools across the country have reopened smoothly this term,
00:07the same can't be said for the Southeast Port of Spain Secondary School.
00:12Nestled in the heart of the capital city, the Nelson Street-based institution
00:16serves approximately 750 students from surrounding communities.
00:22However, a persistent shortage of seating has forced administrators to implement a shift system
00:29just days into the new school term.
00:32TV6 understands that Forms 1 and 2 now attend school on Tuesdays and Thursdays,
00:38while students in Forms 3 to 5 are scheduled for Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
00:44This rotation means that each day, hundreds of students are left at home, often unsupervised.
00:50Sources reveal to TV6 that the school only has 450 chairs for its 750-strong student population.
00:59The issue, however, is not new.
01:01For the past three years, staff and parents have been calling on the Ministry of Education
01:06to address not just the seating shortage, but also other critical concerns,
01:12including broken bathroom doors and poor lighting on the premises.
01:16Parents say the parent-teacher association fee was reduced from $950 to $550 this year,
01:23with many parents volunteering over the vacation period to help paint and clean the school themselves.
01:30Some parents have even offered to assist in the purchasing of chairs for the establishment.
01:36Education Minister Dr. Michael Dowlath visited the school three months ago
01:39after a female student was severely beaten by a group of classmates,
01:44an incident that sparked widespread concern.
01:47In response to the current challenges, Dr. Dowlath told TV6 that the Ministry is aware of the situation
01:54and is working feverishly to resolve the matter in the shortest possible time.
02:00When contacted, PTA President Alana Holder-Thomas declined to comment,
02:04but confirmed that classes are currently being rotated.
02:09Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
02:11Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
02:12Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
02:13Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
02:14Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
02:15Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
02:16Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
02:17Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
02:18Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
02:19Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
02:20Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
02:21Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
02:22Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
02:23Arvishita Wari Rupnarain, TV6 News.
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