Petrina Francis, Education Reporter
SOME SCHOOLS that were used as shelters during the passage of Hurricane Ivan have reopened, however, they are still occupied during school hours by persons whose homes have been ravaged.
Dorrett Campbell, director of communications at the Ministry of Education, told The Sunday Gleaner that up to last Thursday, 22 schools were still occupied. Of that total, 12 schools reopened but with people who were displaced still sheltering in them.
Some of the schools that are still occupied are Portland Cottage All-Age, Bustamante High, Comfort Basic, Middlesex Primary, Marlie Hill Primary and Dalvey Primary in St. Thomas. The bulk of the remaining 418 persons living in shelters are staying at the Portland Cottage All-Age.
ACTS OF VANDALISM
Bustamante High School in Clarendon reopened only to fifth formers last Monday because the school was still being used as a shelter.
Principal Leroy Learmond said that the remaining 15-20 persons told him that they will move out of the school's auditorium before classes resume for the entire population tomorrow.
The principal also noted that the persons who were occupying the auditorium vandalised it. He said that ply boards that were used as partitions were removed and used to block up the decorative blocks to prevent water from blowing in while some were used as beds.
Meanwhile, the Allman Town Primary School in Kingston was also vandalised by some of the people who were staying there.
A source at the school told The Sunday Gleaner that the classroom doors were damaged because they were kicked in, books were left littered on the floor which then got wet when water from the intense wind blew into the classrooms.
The source also noted that when the people left, they stole chairs and desks, which now result in a shortage of furniture at the school. It was also reported that the dislocated persons stole radios and clocks from the classrooms.
The source told The Sunday Gleaner that even the pupils' registration forms were destroyed. As a result of this they have to be re-registering the grade one children.
However, in spite of this, classes have resumed for all students and an extra half an hour is added to the school day, in an attempt to make up for the time that was lost during the hurricane.
In the meantime, Wentworth Gabbidon, president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association confirmed that most schools that were occupied by persons who were dislocated were vandalised.
He said that he received reports of people using desks and chairs to make fire. Mr.Gabbidon also noted that 300 live chickens were stolen from the farm at the Robert Lightbourne High School in St. Thomas.
He stated that while schools are public property and are used in times of disasters, people need to protect the furniture and use them in a decent manner. "We can't tolerate that kind of destructive behaviour," said Mr. Gabbidon.
Meanwhile, The Gleaner reported last week that the Linstead Primary and Junior High and the George's Plain Primary School in Westmoreland were also vandalised.
