Schools update

Pupils of St Patrick’s-Newtown Boys’ RC resumed classes last Tuesday at two locations.

A sewer problem has necessitated the Standards One, Two and Four classes being relocated to the parish hall of Church of the Assumption, Maraval, while Standards Three, Four and Five were housed at the main school building.

“We’ve done the best that we can,” Fr Herbert Charles CSSp told the Catholic News of the arrangement as the Water and Sewerage Authority and engineers deal with the sewer. A two-week time frame was given for the project.  Fr Charles stressed the arrangement for housing the classes was a “temporary”.

The Santa Maria RC, Moruga which had structural damage from the August 21 earthquake was closed. The pupils are being accommodated at the office of MP for Moruga/Tableland Dr Lovell Francis, at Bois Jean Jean.

Belmont Girls’ RC resumed classes for the Standards Two to Five pupils. However, school ends at 1 p.m. A contractor is addressing the problems with several of the teachers’ and students’ toilets.

Classes were also back in session for Forms Four to Six of St Benedict’s College, La Romaine last Wednesday. The school’s administrative block which housed the principal, vice principal, clerical offices as well as nine classrooms was damaged in the earthquake and closed. The junior classes will remain at home.

Principal Anne Gomes-Phillips via the school’s Facebook page alerted parents that “a few tasks” were to be completed to ensure that all are safe on the compound.

Our Lady of Laventille, RC had good news with school buildings painted by the Education Facilities Company Ltd during the vacation and a CTV monitoring system and electronic bell installed. The security and bell were funded through the inaugural Priests Can Cook.  

The school has been ranked number one Reading Level in the Hopalong programme. Another school benefitting, La Romaine RC, has used the funds it received to upgrade its computer lab. – LPG