Conditions of classrooms and other offices at the Eight Mile Rock High School forced teachers to stage a sit out yesterday, resulting in students being dismissed early from that institution. (Photo: Jenneva Russell)
Teachers from Eight Mile Rock High School (EMRHS) and Martin Town Primary (MTPS) School were forced to engage in strike action, claiming they have had enough of their students’ educational wellbeing placed on the “back burner” by the government.
Seven weeks ago Hurricane Matthew further exacerbated deplorable infrastructural conditions at both schools and in spite of the fact that teachers returned to the classroom –making the best of the situation until repair works could be carried out – the educators sat out of classes on Monday (November 14) morning.
Hundreds of Eight Mile Rock High School and Martin Town Primary School students were dismissed at 12:00 p.m.
Daily, teachers claim, students and staff at both institutions are subjected to working in classrooms with exposed electrical wiring, hanging wooden beams and fiberglass, crumbling rock sheet and holes in rooftops that allow sunlight, rain and critters to disrupt and distract them from learning.
These “hazardous” conditions are a risk to students’ and faculty members’ health and according to EMRHS principal Ivan Butler, who along with MTPS principal Leslie Newton, each, had $100,000.00 donated to the institutions by Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH)/Freeport Container Port Ltd., for repair work to be carried out at the Ministry for Grand Bahama revealed, “This morning after recess many of our teachers decided to engage in a sit-out in the staff room and immediately, I spoke with them to ascertain their reasoning.
“The (Bahamas Union of Teachers) shop steward informed me that the action taken was due to the lack of repairs at the school following Hurricane Matthew.
“Unfortunately, we had no other choice than to dismiss students at approximately 12:25 p.m. today and although many of our senior prefects were supervising the classrooms it would have been impossible for them to continue doing so for the entire day.”
Butler said, “Immediately, we informed the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology District Superintendent Mary Cooper of our intentions in that regard and called parents as well as school bus drivers to collect the children, while utilizing the assistance of Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) officers to maintain order so our students would arrive home safely and in a timely manner.
“Part of the frustration teachers of both EMRHS and MTPS are feeling is in direct correlation to earmarked donations in the amount of $100,000.00 each by Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH)/Freeport Container Port (FCP) Ltd., for repairs to take place three weeks ago not beginning.”
He added that even though they did not receive the funds in hand, a commitment was indeed made from HPH/FCP Ltd.
“While we believe we will get it, the bureaucracy that comes into play behind the ordeal and getting the funds to the contractors are adding to the frustration and lack of concern being extended to students and staff at both schools in the minds of the teachers.
“In fact, most of the repair works carried out at the school within the past few weeks in order for students to return to the classroom have been executed by teachers in the Carpentry, Joinery and Woodwork Departments all of whom are talented and generous,” he disclosed.
“They too, would like for the proper scope of contractual work to be carried out especially when one considers the fact that HPH/FCP Ltd., made such a generous commitment to the schools putting their money where their mouth is and for what truly matters most, which is the proper educational advancement of our students.
“Right now teachers’ main concern is the severe rooftop damages sustained due to Hurricane Matthew and in light of this it is only fitting that repair work should have already been in full swing.”
Free National Movement (FNM) Deputy Leader and Member of Parliament for East Grand Bahama K. Peter Turnquest visited both schools yesterday and commended educators for enduring unfavorable conditions for such a prolonged interval, all in an effort to ensure students catch up on their studies.
Both EMRHS and MTPS have had to fight through innumerable challenges inclusive of mold, pests, rodents and plumbing issues among other concerns, Turnquest pointed out. As a result he urged The Bahamas Government to step up its efforts to readily assist students and teachers at both schools as well as educational institutions throughout West Grand Bahama and communities across Grand Bahama generally.
“A few weeks ago when the contribution by Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH)/Freeport Container Port (FCP) Ltd., had been announced questions were raised as to how soon would repairs at both EMRHS and MTPS take place, exactly how donations by private entities were being spent and whether or not they were being spent in a timely manner?
“The governing Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) assured us (FNM Official Opposition and Bahamian people) that those funds were in the hands of contractors,” Turnquest maintained. “However, now we are finding out that that might not necessarily be the case, due to underlying bureaucracy that exists. “Furthermore, repairs are being carried out at a rapid pace at schools in Nassau, New Providence, which is a bone of contention due to the fact that schools in Grand Bahama that were hardest hit by Hurricane Matthew and other Family Islands are seemingly being neglected.
“Why is the same amount of attention not being placed on the schools in Grand Bahama particularly as both EMRHS and MTPS has infrastructural issues prior to Hurricane Matthew?” Turnquest questioned.
He noted that it is utterly unfortunate that the government has not given urgent attention to EMRHS and MTPS like they seemingly have given to other schools in Nassau and other projects.
“Our children are very important to us and they need to be in school; furthermore, we know that we have an issue with achievement already hence every day they have missed further exacerbates that problem.
“The repairs of these schools ought to be a priority for any government irrespective of any other damages that exists as we want our children to be properly educated in a wholesome environment, and a properly functioning school helps them to get past the trauma they experienced during and after the storm,” said Turnquest.
He noted, “Right now many of them do not have electricity and other conveniences at home; hence school is almost a respite from the challenges they have had to endure since the storm, hence this situation is unfortunate.
“Today I am touring both schools, taking stock of the damages as well as the concerns of the teachers and faculty, and raise the issue nationally with our government to ensure that they understand people are watching, are in need of help and the pressure to get the job done will continue to be applied until we receive the proper kind of result that is desperately needed,” declared Turnquest.
He also expressed that it is quite unfortunate that people tend to forget about the Eight Mile Rock settlement as well as the outlying communities and neighborhoods of Grand Bahama, which are just as important to the country’s successful growth and development.
Martin Town Primary School principal Newton; Keithora Munroe, EMRHS Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) Shop Steward and Tammi Ellis-Elliott, Bahamas Educators Managerial Union (BEMU) Area Vice President agreed with the sentiments expressed by FNM Deputy Leader, noting that teachers at both schools have been patient and understanding.
However, they insisted, it is completely unfair for the government to allow them to continue working under such strenuous and hazardous conditions or subject students to endure any further trauma to their emotional psyche and educational advancement in a hurricane torn classroom.
BUT Area Vice President Quinton Laroda also expressed his “disgust” with the situation stating, “After such a devastating storm the BUT understood that we had to work in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to bring the community back to a sense of normalcy.
“Hence the teachers agreed to return to the classroom in schools whose infrastructure had sustained severe damage with the working condition far less than favorable.
“However, the teachers did so under the assumption that the government would do all it could to expedite the repair process as quickly and efficiently as possible,” Laroda claimed.
“Now here we are seven weeks after Hurricane Matthew nothing has been done, the clean-up that has taken place at the schools along with minor repairs have been carried out by other private agencies, principals and Interact and Key Clubs, Defence Force Rangers and teachers themselves.
“Absolutely nothing has been done by the government of The Bahamas and furthermore, what angers the teachers beyond that is the fact that the private sector stepped up to the call for help caring enough to put the finances in place for the necessary works to be carried out for EMRHS and MTPS and again three weeks later nothing has been accomplished (due to bureaucracy in the government).”
Laroda claimed that calls have been made to the relevant authorities; however, no satisfactory answers have been given by the government particularly, the Ministry for Grand Bahama.
“The people in Grand Bahama from east to west need an explanation as to why seven weeks after Hurricane Matthew and three weeks after Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH)/Freeport Container Port (FCP) Ltd., donated $200,000.00 for repairs to take place at EMRHS and MTPS has not had one nail hammered.
“Something is seriously wrong and to add insult to injury, West Grand Bahama has been hit the hardest by Hurricane Matthew, and remains the most vulnerable community in Grand Bahama at this time.
“So why would the government allow these schools to suffer more than they should when means have been provided by a private entity to assist?” Laroda asked.
“All of this is unacceptable, an explanation needs to come forth for the people in Grand Bahama and why should their children and teachers be forced to go into schools without ceilings and proper infrastructure?
“Bartlett Hill Primary School and Lewis Yard Primary School students have been forced to relocate to churches in the community and do not have to deal with the conditions of those at EMRHS and MTPS.
“The churches do not have mold, exposed insulation and wiring, pests and holes in the rooftops that could cause rain to wet them and their supplies up.
“We need an answer and apology from the Ministry for Grand Bahama.”
According to MTPS principal, disarray seems to be the new normal for teachers and students at both schools, which is frustrating and unfair. She believes something must be done to rectify the issues forthwith.
The Freeport News reached out to Minister for Grand Bahama, Dr. Michael Darville, who claims to understand the frustration of the teachers and gave this update. “The sit-out by teachers at both MTPS and EMRHS occurred as a direct result of what they perceive as delays in the necessary repairs in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew.
“Additionally, as most are aware $200,000.00 has been donated by Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH)/Freeport Container Port (FCP) Ltd., to get those schools up and going after the storm, and a company by the name of Diamond Consultant Group, which is an engineering firm was hired by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to do the various scope of works for all the schools on Grand Bahama inclusive of MTPS and EMRHS.
“We were fortunate enough to get those reports in our hand early last week and started the process to award the contracts for the two contractors selected to carry out the repair works at those schools.”
Darville maintained that both contractors and contracts have been awarded and the request for mobilization was forwarded to the Freeport Container Port to release the mobilization to them.
“It was to my knowledge that one of the contractors was on the site at EMRHS today and the other is scheduled to start work at the MTPS no later than Tuesday (November 15, 2016).
“I believe that these mobilizations would be in the hands of the contractors by Wednesday, hence I would like to assure the principals and teachers at both schools, as well as the students that the necessary repairs would be ongoing this week.”
Darville claimed that he has spoken to the Minister of Education, Science and Technology Jerome Fitzgerald, who spoke to District Superintendent Mary Cooper, who has been in contact with both BUT and BEMU representatives. “It is my understanding that having being presented with these facts will ensure that teachers return to the classroom tomorrow once the works are guaranteed to begin as soon as possible.
“It is indeed very unfortunate that everything has taken this long, including the technical assessments to ensure the proper scope of work would be carried out so the contracts would be awarded.
“Hutchison Port Holdings (HPH)/Freeport Container Port (FCP) Ltd., has been alerted as to who the contractors are and they will ensure that the mobilization would take place and as far as repair to other schools throughout Grand Bahama contracts would be awarded and completed in the quickest possible time frame and the bulk of the work completed in a month.”
BUT and BEMU representatives as well as all teachers and the Grand Bahama community, in particular, hope to see schools up and operating in the best condition for learning to take place without delays and other fiascoes occurring due to underlying bureaucracy and Min. Darville assures the public it will.
By: Sharell Lockhart
Freeport News/Guardian
