Late pay slips and flu affecting Belmopan schools

Schools around the country are interrupting classes because of the spread of the flu. In Belmopan, however, the reason why Our Lady of Guadalupe Roman Catholic School, was closed down today was because teachers did not get their salaries last Friday. News Five traveled to Belmopan and found locks on the gates and not a person in sight. The Ministry of Education says that last Friday, there was a problem with pay slips, but that it would have been resolved by the end of the day. Classes are expected to resume tomorrow. But at Garden City Primary School, students and teachers were out, but that is because of the flu. And when we spoke to their principal, Carolyn Bardalez, she said they do have about twenty percent of their students and one teacher absent, but things are returning to normal.

Carolyn Bardalez, Principal, Garden City Primary School
“We had approximately like eighty students out last week but all of them are back to school today.”

Delahnie Bain
“You mentioned this morning that you have at least eighty percent of your students back in?”

Carolyn Bardalez
“Yes we do.”

Delahnie Bain
“Have any of your teachers been affected?”

Carolyn Bardalez
“We have only one teacher out. Last week it was only like four the most just with flu like symptoms, nothing major.”

Delahnie Bain
“What are the main symptoms you have been seeing?”

Carolyn Bardalez
“It’s just cold and cough. They have little cough, sneezing, so forth.”

Delahnie Bain
“What kind of precautionary measures do you have in place at the school?”

Carolyn Bardalez
“We have basins in every class, the kids wash their hands before they go in the classroom. Some go home for lunch and those that stay also wash their hands. We have posters up that the health authorities brought to the school for them to actually do a health talk and nurses come in and they do a health check and health talk to the students.”

Bardalez says students only started showing symptoms last Thursday. News Five has been told that all schools are reporting flu cases.