By STACY MOORE Wednesday, September 8 2010

CLASSES resumed at the South Oropouche Roman Catholic School yesterday but scores of students were forced to stand while they did their lessons as only tables and no benches were delivered to the school.

The 150 tables were delivered at about 6 pm on Tuesday by workmen who were given instructions to do so by the Education Ministry. But up until yesterday evening, after school was dismissed, no benches were delivered to the school.

Approximately 75 students who showed up for classes had to stand as there were no benches to sit on. On Monday — the start of the new school term — students were sent home as there was no furniture for them to use in the classrooms.

President of the school’s Parent/Teachers Association (PTA) Pauline Philbert said the old furniture which was infested with termites was condemned last year by the Ministry of Education.

She added that the school was promised new furniture which included benches and chairs before the start of the current school term. “It was all a promise. Here we have these students who are determined to do their school work, being affected. It’s not fair to the students. How can they send 150 tables and no chairs for the students? It makes no sense,” an angry Philbert said.

She told Newsday that the students came eager to begin work yesterday and some were at a loss for words when they realised they had nothing to sit on. “So there are new tables but no benches. You have to give the students credit because they insisted that they wanted to do their school work. But it’s not right. These are children we are dealing with,” Philbert said.

The PTA president expressed hope that Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh will visit the school to see first hand the conditions under which teachers and students operate Monday to Friday.

“Hearing about it is one thing...seeing it is another. It would be good if the Minister of Education Tim Gopeesingh visit the school. All we are asking for is one visit. Look how much work these students, some of whom are preparing for SEA exams, have missed,” she said.

Meanwhile, at the Princes Town Roman Catholic School, the few students who turned up yesterday for classes, were sent back home as repair work is still being conducted. A school official, who spoke on strict condition of anonymity, said the principal was not to be blamed for the school not being opened.

“It is not the principal who is at fault for the school not yet being opened. It is the Education Ministry’s fault because work is still being conducted on this school. Only on Tuesday, the school was painted and the walls are still wet,” the teacher said.

Classes at the Cowen Hamilton College in St Mary’s resumed on Tuesday but school sources said that repair work to the roof has not been completed. Scores of students also attended full classes at the Pleasantville Secondary School but officials said that work in several parts of the school was unfinished. Efforts to contact Rory Subiah of the Ministry of Education’s Communications Department yesterday proved futile as calls to his cellular phone went to voice mail.