By Richardson Dhalai Tuesday, January 8 2013

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Students of St Joseph's Convent San Fernando on their way home from school yesterday. Here they are seen on High Street after their fi...

There were relatively few hiccups in the opening of the new school term at schools in south and central Trinidad yesterday.

National Primary Schools Principals Association President, Lynley Doodhai, described the reopening of the new school term as “pretty smooth” saying he had received few reports about major problems from association members, except for the Ecclesville Presbyterian Primary School, which had not open due to bat droppings.

“This problem was one which had been occurring since last year, and it continued this year so parents did not send their children to school. Teachers have been advised by TTUTA to leave the compound since this has been classified as a health and safety issue,” he said.

“But overall it was a pretty smooth opening, we did not have much disruptions,” he said.

Meanwhile, in an immediate response, Education Ministry communications specialist, Yolanda Morales-Carvalho, said the issue was being addressed by the Education Facilities Company Limited, (EFCL), which would engage in sanitation and remedial works at the school.

“The Ministry was informed about the problem only last week, and the EFCL has been dispatched to perform sanitation and remedial works at the school,” she said.

She too noted that most schools had reopened after the Christmas vacation, saying all of the repair works had been successfully completed on the 80-plus schools earmarked for repairs.

“There was a very smooth reopening of schools for the new school term, and we have successfully completed all of the works on the repair programme, which involved over 80 schools, including some schools in which emergency works were done,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Santa Marie RC School did not reopen yesterday due to a lack of a potable water supply on the compound.

A school source said water trucks had been unable to access the school due to the dilapidated condition of the Penal Rock Road.