Ministry to issue statement about reopening of schools

A statement will be issued to the public by the Ministry of Education about the re-opening of all educational institutions.{{more}}

Schools here are scheduled to reopen next Monday, but five of them are being used to provide accommodation for persons displaced in the Christmas floods.

The Ministry of Education, in a statement, said the Buccament Bay and Troumaca Secondary schools and the Fitzhughes, Chateaubelair Methodist and South Rivers Methodist Primary schools are currently being used as shelters for persons displaced by the flash floods which accompanied the rains.

“The Ministry is now in the process of collecting information on those students who will need support to return to normalcy and to facilitate the continuation of their education consequent on the re-opening of schools which is scheduled for Monday January 6th 2014. This process is being done in collaboration with our partner ministry, the Ministry of National Mobilisation. Counseling services are being provided in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment and the Ministry of National Mobilisation.

“Options for alternative accommodation of the disaster victims are also being explored and when pertinent information has been properly compiled and analysed, a follow-up statement will be issued to the general public for re-opening of all educational institutions,” the release from Permanent Secretary Nicole Bonadie-Baker said.

The release also said the Minister and staff of the Ministry of Education wish to offer most sincere sympathy to all Vincentians who were adversely affected, in one way or another, by the torrential rains.

“In particular, the Ministry wishes to express condolences to the families of those who lost their lives during the passage of the severe weather and to our teachers and our students who also suffered losses in the form of textbooks and uniforms, among daily essentials and who now face disruption in their daily operations.”

The Ministry of Education functions under the Shelter and Shelter Management Sub-committee of the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) and pledges its continued support in the disaster recovery process.