Good going for L.T. Gay pupils off-site, air testing for plant

By Stacey N. Russell

Another round of air tests to assess the quality of the air at Lawrence T. Gay Memorial Primary School will start “in the near future” to help get to the bottom of prolonged environmental concerns there.

Principal of the Spooners Hill, St. Michael school, Brent Blackett told CBC News this on Tuesday as he gave a round-up of how parents and students were responding to the removal of mandatory COVID-19 protocols in schools, as well as continued off-plant teaching due to an offensive odour that has disrupted classes on site. 

“We embarked on a clean up of the school. We had lots of tyres… So, we’re trying to do some elimination. Other things, I believe, will be done in the near future in terms of air testing,” he stated. 

He admitted he was uncertain about the start date of the air testing exercise, some of which has been done in the past, as Lawrence T. Gay confronts long-running episodes of environmental issues. 

He reported the school was waiting for the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training to signal what additional measures would be taken to eliminate the environmental problem, so all students can be taught at the Spooners Hill campus.

“I’m not sure what else is going to be done or how soon, but we have done some things, the Ministry has done some things to get things started,” Blackett pointed out.

Of the 375 students currently on roll, 45 Reception pupils are being accommodated at Grace Hill Moravian Church, Spooners Hill, St. Michael; The Church of Christ the King in Rock Dundo, St. Michael is housing 55 Class 3 pupils and 47 from Class 2; while 62 Class 4 students are being taught at Sharon Moravian Church Hall in St. Thomas; and the others remain in one part of the school at Spooners Hill.

The Ministry of Education continues to provide free, round trip transportation from Spooners Hill for those being taught at The Church of Christ the King and Sharon Moravian.

In addition, as children drop the mask and physical distancing, the Lawrence T. Gay head said hand-sanitising would be encouraged at his school, pupils would be given masks if they wanted to wear them, and they would be observed for any sign of illness. 

“We will monitor them closely to make sure that parents recognise that if a child is exhibiting any kind of symptoms that they will monitor that child, let the child stay home, seek medical attention… A few have come with the mask on still, but the majority of students came without masks,” Mr Blackett stated.

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