The Education Ministry is adamant that another meeting with parents of students at The Lester Vaughan School will happen in conjunction with teachers, staff and the company responsible for the testing at the school compound.
we are not in favour of children returning to school without giving parents and guardians the opportunity to interface
In a statement released today, when students in public schools across the island returned to their physical plants, the Chief Education Officer Dr Ramona Archer-Bradshaw said:
“The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training continues to do all in its power to ensure the readiness of The Lester Vaughan School for students, teachers and staff.
“The Ministry must give consideration to all concerned as we are not in favour of children returning to school without giving parents and guardians the opportunity to interface with ministry officials from Education, Health and the Environment, as well as giving Mr Ian Weekes, the author of the [air quality and environment quality testing] report the opportunity to explain the results contained therein.”
With some parents complaining to Loop News over the Easter weekend that they felt left out of the online meeting held last week, on March 28, Maundy Thursday, Loop has come to today understand that another meeting will be set to accommodate more guardians and all necessary parties. Thursday’s meeting organised by the Ministry had a capacity of 100. The student roll at The Lester Vaughan School exceeds 900 and that does not take into account Mr Weekes, teachers and members of the ancillary staff who may have wanted to be on the call.
The meeting must, and will happen
In the meeting on Thursday, there were also technical issues on the end of Mr Weekes, who confessed to the 99 others on the online meeting call, that he was off-island. Parents told Loop that he indicated he was informed at short notice about the meeting but tried to accommodate.
The CEO asserts the Ministry will schedule another meeting. Loop was reliably informed that the capacity will be expanded to allow more parents in and Mr Weekes will hopefully be able to give all parties his undivided attention as he returns to Barbados this week.
“The meeting must, and will happen at the earliest opportunity,” stated Dr Archer-Bradshaw.
