Teams from the Ministry of Education which conducted site visits at several government-owned secondary and primary schools on Tuesday are reporting satisfaction with the state of readiness of the education plants.
Director of Education Clare Browne led one team while the other team was led by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Ena Dalso-Henry. Both teams also included a representative from the National Parents-Teachers Association, the Antigua and Barbuda Union of Teachers, the Board of Education and the Safe Schools Committee. A third team, to be led by the Education Minister Daryll Matthew will do its tour another day.
The purpose of the visit was to get a first-hand look at conditions at the schools especially as many have had repairs or renovations done over the summer holidays. For example, extensive work was done at Pares Secondary as that school will be absorbing the students from the former Glanville’s Secondary, which will be closed due to declining student enrollment.
(The Glanville’s School plant will now house the Antigua and Barbuda School of Agriculture).
Director Browne and his team visited the Pares Secondary, Sea View Farm Primary, Potters Primary, the Clare Hall Secondary and the Antigua Grammar School. PS Dalso-Henry’s team visited Ottos Comprehensive, Jennings Secondary, Jennings Primary, Villa Primary and Golden Grove Primary.
According to the education official at each stop they interacted with the principals of the institutions to get an appraisal of the state of readiness. He said the principal for the Potters summed it up succinctly when she stated that ‘we are 99 percent ready to accept students from Monday’.
“We saw them power-washing the school at Sea View Farm and at Potters we observed that much of the school has been repainted. We are not saying that everything is perfect at all the schools, but we believe that over the coming days final touches will be put on these plants to ensure that all is well for Monday. We also anticipate that some work will continue at some schools even after the term begins,” he disclosed.
Director Browne however gave assurances that even as some work continues at schools this will not affect the proper functioning of these institutions.
