Diana Edwards-Martin, an Executive Member of the National Parent Teacher Association (NPTA), says the body is concerned about the pace of preparations, as the school plants are readied for reopening next week.
Parents complain that amenities which ought to be in place by now are not – including wash stations – and about the general condition of the compounds, with grass and overgrown bushes still not cut.
Edwards-Martin says the protocols established by the Ministry of Health for re-opening schools are critical in stemming the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Accordingly, she says that operating without running water should be a thing of the past, since proper hand hygiene is important in killing the deadly virus.
Edwards-Martin says that while the NPTA can intervene in certain respects, parents should be the ones leading the charge and making their displeasure and concerns known with regard to certain issues.
The Executive Member says the body has been in discussions with the Ministry of Education over its concerns, and those talks continue.
Meanwhile, she says now is the time for parents to become more involved in their children’s education, since delivery has changed and will continue to do so over the coming years.
Further, she says parents should question school officials about issues and concerns that might impact their children.
