“Most” schools across St. Vincent and the Grenadines will re-open on Sept. 2, as scheduled, despite the devastating impact of Hurricane Beryl on July 1.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said on NBC Radio on Wednesday that work was being done on all schools across the country, except the 14 that were being used as emergency shelters for people displaced by Hurricane Beryl.
“Now most of the schools I expected to open on the second of September, but some will be delayed,” Gonsalves said, adding that the Ministry of Education was dealing with “the complicated matters of staffing, furniture.
“Given the new situation, a lot of furniture has been damaged, destroyed, wear and tear with what happened, especially, even the shelters too, and equipment.”
He said that the Union Island Secondary School should be ready on time.
“… but we have to deal with the question of electricity,” he said, adding that water should be OK on the island where the category 4 hurricane damaged or destroyed 98% of buildings.
“They have some things to do but that should be OK. I’ll take a couple of days to fix that part,” the prime minister said, adding that the Stephanie Browne Primary School would open a week or two late.
The government has given parents the option of sending their children to school in Union Island or at a temporary campus at Arnos Vale that is being renovated and expanded to house the three schools in Union Island.
The prime minister said “on the current indications, maybe 60%, maybe even more” of the students may attend classes at the temporary campus.
He said the building will be ready for Sept. 2.
“… I’m relying on the Ministry of Education to get the furniture and the equipment, everything inside, and also to make sure you divide the teachers properly who want to come up, go down,” he said, referring to splitting the teachers between the campus in Arnos Vale and Union Island.
“It’s not an easy business. And some people are not indicating yet where they want to go. They’re just, for different reasons, waiting, but you can see where some will be leaning,” the prime minister said.
“And I don’t know why some of them not making the judgment call. And they have to make the judgment call this week.”
He said that parents should have made that decision on Monday.
“… considerable resources are being put in for additional resources. for furniture, equipment, computers for the schools, and for back-to-school uniforms, books,” Gonsalves said.