Is San Felipe School Prepared for August 10th Reopening?
Carol Babb
The northern communities San Felipe and Blue Creek remain under lockdown during a thirty-day state of emergency prompted by a rash of COVID-19. Amid the S.O.E. are concerns about the sitting of CXC exams by secondary students who are unable to leave those villages. There are also fears that there may not be adequate preparation ahead of the reopening of schools on August tenth. This morning, Doctor Carol Babb allayed those concerns by informing that the Ministry of Education has been in contact with the CXC council on behalf of those students.
Isani Cayetano
“San Felipe/Blue Creek, what is the state of affairs there in terms or readiness for the new school year?”
Dr. Carol Babb, Chief Education Officer
“Well I’ve spoken to the General Manager of Catholic Schools, Mrs. Thompson, and she said that the school is physically ready, meaning that they are ready with sanitization supplies, they can physically distance and they have hand wash basins in place and if they don’t, that’s why we have the Ministry of Education and we are here to support. I am going to be given another check tomorrow of about fifty thousand dollars from B.E.L. I just had a conversation with the PR person from B.E.L. and she wants to give me the check as early as tomorrow. If there are schools out there who need hand washing basins, we are here to support them.”
Reporter
“But Dr. Babb, could you talk a little bit more about the educational issues in San Felipe and Blue Creek Village, for example, the school may be ready but the parents are not. They need to go to town to access their ATM cards to be able to do things like purchase books, purchase materials for uniforms and then there is also the issue of CXC students who are poised to take their exams but can’t leave the village?”
Dr. Carol Babb
“We have already dialogued with CXC in Barbados and they are aware that those students are in a state of emergency and they can’t leave their village. So if that school is not ready, we are going to talk with them and work with them and ensure everybody is safe. So if they are not ready for August tenth then we’ll delay the opening for them.”
