Friday, October 30 2009

Provision of more janitors and sanitising products at every school should be a priority by the Ministry of Education, according to Vijay Jagrup president of the National Primary School Principals Association (NAPSPA).

He has said that adding to the protocols by the Ministries of Education and Health the association has had problems with the Education Ministry’s failure of providing schools with adequate sanitising materials.

Jagrup spoke about NAPSPA’s concern about a number of schools affected by the Influenza A/H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus. Some of these schools had low turnout of students and teachers.

He said a sufficient supply of liquid and hand soap along with hand sanitisers should be provided at the school, with additional cleaning and sanitising products made available for janitors.

Jagrup said NAPSPA had reports of only one cleaner at some schools. As a result, it was difficult for them to sanitise over 25 classrooms at these schools on a regular basis.

Principals with whom he spoke have all requested additional janitorial staff who should be employed temporarily, at least until the second wave of the virus was over.

Jagrup said both Education and Health ministries should also pay attention to schools with reported cases of the virus, hence those schools should be given priority attention.

The association Jagrup said also supported the Maha Sabha’s call for the closure of schools for at least three weeks.

Maharaj was of the view the Government did not want to keep schools closed because of the hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM ) meeting next month.

Jagrup said he consulted with legal advisors and advised teachers to consult with the Trinidad and Tobago Teachers Association (TTUTA) to invoke the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA) to protect their health.

At the Munroe Road Hindu School 11 teachers from a teaching staff of 14 turned up for classes.