Students of Bellefield Primary and Junior High School in Manchester gathered outside the school gate on Monday (June 12) as the gates to the school compound were locked by protesting parents. - PHOTO BY ANGELO LAURENCE
MANDEVILLE, Manchester:
ANGRY PARENTS chained and padlocked the gates of the Bellefield Primary and Junior High School on Monday, calling on the Ministry of Education to immediately carry out emergency repairs to the school to prevent flooding.
The classrooms were flooded during the heavy rains that fell last week, leaving the benches water soaked. Students gathered at the school gate early on Tuesday, but were later asked to go home as the school was closed for the day. Parents and teachers were promised that remedial work would start within the week.
This is the second time in as many weeks that parents demonstrated to draw attention to the poor conditions at the school. Teachers also told The Gleaner that the school compound is unsafe as criminals enter the premises at will and attack teachers and rob them. One teacher said in a recent incident, a knife was put to her throat while the thieves searched her and took her handbag. Another teacher said she was also upset with the persons who kicked down the doors to the new bathrooms and removed the pipes.
NEW SCHOOL
In the meantime, Principal Rydell Williams said he has been assured that work on a new school will start later this year. He said the plans have already been drawn up and were presented to the community earlier this year. Deputy Mayor of Mandeville Sally Porteous, who visited the school, blasted the Government for allowing the situation to deteriorate to the point where the parents had to take to the streets with placards to get a response from central government.
However, People's National Party candidate for central Manchester, Vando Palmer, who also visited the school, said that was not the case as the parents participated in the final design of the school that will be built.
He said the current Member of Parliament, John Junior and the Minister of Education, Maxine Henry-Wilson, have indicated that temporary repairs will be carried out this week.
- Angelo Laurence
