Split schooling decision for Union Island students
PLANS TO RELOCATE around 470 students to mainland St Vincent for the new school year may see far fewer than that starting classes here as lack of support for government’s proposal has resulted in changes being made to initial plans.
Repair work is to be conducted on the Stephanie Browne Primary School and the Union Island Secondary School, and parents are being given the choice as to whether they want to have their child educated in Union Island or on mainland St Vincent.
Following the widespread devastation which resulted in more than 90 percent of structures in Union Island being severely damaged or destroyed from Hurricane Beryl, the government had announced plans for at least one parent, primary and secondary schools students, and teaching staff to be accommodated at a temporary school in Arnos Vale.
Two consultations were hosted, one one the mainland on July 24, and a second on July 25 in Union Island. Minister of Education, Curtis King, at the mainland consultation, outlined the challenges to preparing the schools to take in the 477 students from Grade K to Form Five.While there were no outright objections, parents questioned the logistics of the rollout of the proposal. Union Island parents, however, were far more vocal about their hesitation to relocate to mainland and called on the government to put the resources towards repairing the island’s schools.
Registration started this week with the Ministry of Education on August 6 in Union Island, and August 8 and 9 on the mainland. Union Island parents and guardians who visited the Ministry of Education in Kingstown told SEARCHLIGHT initially they were sceptical about the relocation, but as the start of the term draws closer, they are making the necessary arrangements.
“I was hoping that they would’ve fixed the schools, but seeing the condition of the island, we know that it was impossible.We as parents want what is best for our children,” a mother of five told SEARCHLIGHT.
She also said she is prepared to stick it out on the mainland until the situation improves in the Southern Grenadines.
“If it extends to two, three years, at least the big ones will be out [of school] so just the others I would have to worry about. Once the kids are out to school, I will be looking for work because we have responsibilities. We have to look for a job that will help us while we are here.”
Some parents said while the relocation, they believe, will be better for the children, they are worried about being unemployed for an extended period while living on the mainland.
“I prepared to stay here, but the hardest part is for me to find work,” Uranie told SEARCHLIGHT.
The mother of two primary school children said she believes with the lack of electricity, extensive damage to homes and businesses, schooling in Union Island is impractical.
“There are no good homes in Union, and no electricity. The best thing I think is for the parents to be up here.”
Meanwhile, President of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Teachers Union (SVGTU), Oswald Robinson said he understands the split decision among the parents on school plans.
“The residents of Union Island would have to decide what is comfortable. I know some will want to be on the mainland.There are those who would not want to come, and they should be given the right to stay there. It is a big task for the authorities in the recovery process.”
He said the Union is preparing to hold a membership meeting ahead of the start of the new school term and they will be supporting whatever decision their members put forward.
“From the Teachers Union, whatever our teachers are comfortable with we will go along with them and we will represent them.”
He also said the SVGTU will be putting together financial donations to assist affected members, and assist them with the purchase of necessary supplies ahead of the school term.
Government said that $2.5 million has already been allocated to retrofit and expand the former teachers college/medical school at Arnos Vale to house the Southern Grenadines students for the new school term.
Speaking on VC3 Round Table Talk on August 7, Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves said though the Ministry of Education has not provided definite figures, he believes most of the parents have chosen to have their children relocated to mainland.
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