Another primary school in the territory has been forced to close following reports of numerous students falling ill.
This was confirmed in a memorandum issued by the Chief Education Officer Dr. Connie George which revealed that the Alexandrina Maduro Primary School will be closed from today Thursday, October 6.
According to the document, the closure is a result of numerous students falling ill which prompted an assessment of the school by the Ministry of Health which found “several key areas of concern”.
“On Monday, 3rd October, the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports received a report from the Alexandrina Maduro Primary School that a significant number of students were absent. The students were reportedly feeling unwell. Out of great concern, the Ministry immediately contacted the Ministry of Health to assess the situation,” the document stated.
It added, “Today, we received a report from the Ministry of Health identifying several key areas of concern. The report recommends the immediate closure of the school to remedy the identified issues. As more information becomes available, all stakeholders will be informed.”
While the document did not outline the areas of concern that were found in the report, 284News understands that one of the main discoveries was the issue of mold.
All classes to be taught online
While the Ministry of Health and the Education Ministry will be working to rectify the areas of concern, students of the school will have to transition back to online learning in the meantime.
“Students will transition to online learning until further notice. The Ministry of Education is working feverishly to address the matters highlighted in the report and will do everything possible to ensure that this period of online learning is not prolonged,” the document said.
The Ministry of Education is therefore asking parents to make the necessary arrangements for their child or children to accommodate online learning until the health issues at the school have been rectified.
Ministry continuing repairs and maintenance
284News reached out to the Chief Education Officer Dr. George to find out the extent of the issues found at the school and whether any other schools across the territory were currently undergoing assessments.
She responded, “We are continuing to do our repairs and maintenance in the schools and doing our best to deal with all the issues across the system.”
The ministry said they recognised the inconvenience that will be caused as a result of the prompt change, but emphasized that the health and safety of the students and teachers are paramount.