Education Minister Shawn Edward has announced a delay in reopening several schools in the South to facilitate psycho-social support interventions for principals, teachers, and ancillary staff.
Vieux Fort has been the scene of a surge in deadly gun violence, resulting in a decision to declare the community an escalated crime zone giving police expanded powers to battle criminal activity.
“Our teachers in the South are hurting and they are also grieving,” the Education Minister said in an address to the nation on Sunday.
The delayed opening would affect seven schools.
They are:
Beanfield Comprehensive Secondary School
Vieux Fort Primary School
Vieux Fort Infant School
Vieux Fort Special Education School
Pierrot Combined School
Plain View Combined School
And Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School
The Education Minister disclosed that teachers at those institutions would report on Monday, April 24.
But students will attend a day later on Tuesday.
Minister Edward explained that the ‘troubling issue’ of school security and safety was high among the challenges faced.
And he said his Ministry was taking steps to address the matter.
His complete address appears below:
“delay in reopening several schools in the South to facilitate psycho-social support interventions for principals, teachers, and ancillary staff” CHILDREN SEE FOR YALL SELVES.
One day of psycho social support? What a joke. That kind of support is not a bandaid a one shot injection. Teachers and children should have already received multiple sessions and today should have been a staged return.
Ridiculous Shorn again No!! What will yall do to alleviate this nightmare in Vieux Fort?
Poor children
I support this move although I think one day is insufficient. My issue is what’s about the children? Don’t they deserve some intervention as well. Also I’m from the south and the Augier Combined School has more Vieux Fort proper children attending it than both Plain View and Pierrot. Why were they not included. Sad but true Piaye, Micoud, Choiseul and Dennery Secondary have the majority of the troubled Vieux Fort youths attending these schools and I think that these secondary schools needed that intervention more than Vieux Fort Comprehensive and Beanfield.
Good job Shawn, let us hope the children and teachers return safely and continue monitoring the Schools for mental health issues is our burden to climb out of the criminal elements..
Some of the comments should think a tad better..