A fifth grade student at E.P. Roberts Primary School sat in her empty classroom and watched cartoons yesterday morning.
A trash can filled with water, a dirty mop and a large puddle of water were on the floor a few feet away from where the girl sat.
Plastic bags covered the computers as water continued to drip into the room.  Classes were canceled after the teachers decided to sit out because of the leaky roof.
The roof was reportedly damaged at the Miami Street school during the passage of Hurricane Irene three weeks ago.
Since then, every time it rains, water leaks into the fifth grade classroom block and causes flooding, according to school officials.
Teachers, who have had to deal with those wet conditions for the last week, have had enough, according to Bahamas Union of Teachers Secretary General Stephen McPhee.
He said the teachers had been patient and were forced to take desperate measures.  "Last week they had a meeting and a number of concerns were [raised]," McPhee said.
"They were told that by Friday at 3 p.m. the matters would be resolved so that on Monday school could flow as normal. Unfortunately, those concerns still exist and so the teachers are unable to teach."
McPhee said in addition to the structural concerns, teachers are also concerned about staffing levels.  "Teachers don't wish to sit in a class and have another class unattended," McPhee explained.  "It's impossible for them to function in the normal school without those matters being resolved."
E.P. Roberts Principal Kendle Burrows said work is being done to address the leaky roof and the shortage of teachers.
He said work was done on the roof all weekend. "I am surprised it's not fixed yet but I've been assured that there is nothing that can't be fixed in a short time," Burrows said.
The principal confirmed that two additional teachers were recently hired and should start teaching soon.  Burrows added that it is unfortunate that students had to miss school.
A parent also expressed concern over the situation.
Denise Rolle-Johnson, whose daughter is a second-grader at the school, said she was surprised to learn that school had been canceled for the day.  "No one informed me," she said. "The principal is good but I'm surprised at the move that the teachers took.  It bothers me especially because these children are so young."
Rolle-Johnson said she didn't learn that school had been canceled until she noticed several E.P. Roberts students walking away from the school about an hour after she dropped her daughter off.
"I don't like the movements that the teachers made -- just to strike all of a sudden. They should consider the little children and the parents should have known in advance. The children should not have been left unattended in this manner because of the teachers. They need to be role models.
"I'm not saying they can't strike. They can strike but they should have informed us first because the children can not be here unattended."  She said some parents work and are unable to pick up their children quickly.
Burrows said the administrators attended to the children when they realized that the teachers had withdrawn their services.
Evette Brown, a janitress who said she has had to mop the classroom every day since school started last week, said she is growing weary of the task.  "I'm tired of drying up water," she said.
Another janitress, Augana Brown, said she doesn't think it's fair that they have to mop up the water every day.  "This school is in a terrible state," she said.
Burrows said this is the second time that the teachers withdrew their services in recent times. Teachers sat out last Monday after expressing similar concerns, he said.

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