Canouan Government School forced to relocate, due to failing building

Classes of the Canouan Government School are now being held at two churches on the island, following calls by the the St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union (SVGTU) for the Government to provide alternative accommodation for the population of the school.

Effective yesterday, Grades K – 1 are being accommodated at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and Grades 2 – 6 at the Anglican Church.{{more}}

No classes were held at the school last week, after the SVGTU said it was extremely concerned about the safety of students and staff and equally about teaching and learning instructional time.

The Union, therefore, urged the Ministry of Education to use its best endeavours to seek the use of community buildings, churches and or community centres to relocate, in order to mitigate what is considered to be a crisis.

The relocation of classes to the two churches indicates that the Ministry has heeded the calls of the Union, after earlier assuring that the structure was safe.

The SVGTU had earlier advised teachers to report for duty, but to keep away from the building.

They said, in that earlier release, that the building has been declared structurally unsafe and as a consequence, jeopardizes the safety of the occupants. According to the Union, their decision followed a consultation involving a team from the SVGTU, an engineer and contractor, along with teachers of the school.

The release stated: “The experts indicate that in the grade 1 classroom, the walls are separating from the foundation and the possibility of a collapse is very real.”

Minister of Education Jimmy Prince had assured users of the school building that the structure is safe and there was no immediate danger of the building collapsing.

He said two sets of engineers from the Buildings, Roads and General Services Authority (BRAGSA) and from the Ministry of Works, had inspected the building and reported that there is no immediate threat “to life or limb” and that the school is in no danger of collapsing.

“The engineers have said that the building is firm and there is no danger of it collapsing. It will be regularly monitored and the engineers will do some work on it during the holidays,” said Prince then.

He had said that repairs on the cracks and other issues will be carried out when school closes, as work cannot be done during school time.