EDUCATION Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said $7 million has been allocated for remedial work to the Aranguez North Secondary School which has been bedevilled with health and safety issues leading to many of its teachers refusing to work.
On October 21, 35 of the school's 45 teachers issued a refusal-to-work notice citing the school’s occupational and safety issues.
TT Unified Teachers Association president Martin Lum Kin said the Occupational Safety and Health Agency (OSHA) issued a prohibition and improvement notice in some parts of the school, namely blocks E and A, the latter of which houses the laboratories and some of the science and visual and performing arts areas.
He said the AC units have not been adequately serviced, resulting in some teachers falling ill due to poor air quality. He said approximately 59 classrooms have been identified as unusable and cannot house the 430-student population.
He added the cafeteria has been shut down because of a leaking sewer line which passes under the cafeteria.
Additionally, Lum Kin cited a lack of furniture and leaking roofs during rainfall.
In a WhatsApp response to Newsday on October 22, Gadsby-Dolly said, “The contract, in the amount of approximately $7 million, was awarded today and work should begin by Friday of this week.”
She said these works include electrical, involving cable replacement and light fittings; replacing, repairing and serving of sanitary fittings and AC units; cleaning and sanitisation; termite treatment; and roof leak repairs.
In a phone interview with Newsday, TTUTA first vice president Adesh Dwarika revealed there had been no water at the facility on October 22 resulting in the school’s early dismissal.
“The ministry officials came and they had a look. So, what they are going to try to do now is put that in the scope of works for the (remediation).
“The minister would have indicated that seven million was allocated for repairs in the school. I am hoping the necessary procurement would have been followed so that the work could start as quickly as possible.” Dwarika said the refusal-to-work stance remains until OSH-related issues are rectified.
“The teachers would have signed a refusal of work and whatnot but they want to come and do the job. They want to come to teach their children but it has to be under conditions that are normal, under conditions that are healthy and conditions that are safe. If that cannot happen, obviously we are going to continue with the issues that we have.
He said the teachers will be occupying the designated safe space which is the library.
“Work would have been done on the library in terms of sanitisation and servicing of this unit. This will be their safe space.
“We were hoping to have the students in the hall to have some level of supervision possibly by the principal and other administrators.
“We are hoping that the contract will be awarded as quickly as possible and the relevant remedial works done so that the teachers can be back in the classrooms teaching.”
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