The ministry will proceed with the reopening of the nation’s schools on Monday as
planned, despite the latest announcement from the Antigua and Barbuda Union of
Teachers A&BUT, that it intends to proceed with industrial action.
On Thursday, the A&BUT issued a press release where it essentially said that
teachers intend to ‘withhold their services’ until their outstanding matters are
‘satisfactorily resolved’.
Despite the position of the A&BUT, a spokesman for the ministry said, work is
being done to resolve the outstanding matters during this week; to include the
erection of a perimeter fence at Sir Novelle Richards Academy. On Tuesday, a
team from the Ministry, the Union, the Board of Education and the National
Housing Urban Renewal and Development Company toured the premises to
determine where the fence will be placed, the number of gates and other matters.
National Housing will erect the fence which is estimated to cost in excess of 300-
thousand dollars.
The spokesman said the lighting of all the priority schools has been completed,
with the Sir Novelle Richards Academy and the Pares Secondary School
completed this week.
On the question of security cameras in the schools, it was reported that four
secondary schools have had cameras installed. These are Clare Hall Secondary,
Princess Margaret School, and All Saints Secondary School which have wireless
systems and Ottos Comprehensive School which has a wired system.
An additional three schools will have their cameras installed by the end of the
week. These are the Sir Novelle Richards Academy, the Antigua Grammar School,
and the Antigua Girls High School.
The spokesman added that the ministry continues to work feverishly to meet the
demands of the teachers, including the issue of upgrades. Of the 328 teachers who
are to be upgraded, more than three hundred have been completed. It is estimated
that there are 25 more to be upgraded and that these are a work in progress.
On Wednesday, the A&BUT met with representatives of the establishment division
and the ministry to clarify the issue with the upgrades, as there are some
outstanding issues that have held up completing the exercise.
