St. Michael’s students to stay home; no classrooms

But in Belize City, some students have an extra week of freedom because they’ve got their desks, their chairs but whoops, no classrooms. Approximately, one hundred and eight, second and third formers from St. Michael’s College in Queen’s Square have no choice but to remain home until their new building has been completed. Principal Michael Price says he does not know why the building is not ready, but that by September ninth the students should be able to return to school.

Michael Price, Principal, St. Michael’s College

“We are constructing four more classrooms right now. They are not quite ready yet and we were scheduled to begin classes on Monday. Actually, we are doing orientation tomorrow and Friday we will go ahead with those two days of orientation as planned. And the first formers–we have a very large group of first formers, a hundred and eighty-five students–they will begin as scheduled on Monday and we are making arrangements for the second and third formers to begin one week later on the ninth.”

Jacqueline Woods

“Why is this building not ready for school on Monday?”

Michael Price

“I really can’t say. For one thing, construction started in July and there has been a lot of rain, so that’s probably one of the factors. But I really can’t give you and answer to that question.”

Price says even though the students will start school one week late, so the children don’t lose any time, the missed hours will be made up during the school year.