A shortage of furniture in the classrooms was a significant challenge for teachers and students in Tobago when ‘in-person’ classes resumed on Wednesday.
Tobago representative of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA), Bradon Roberts, said in some instances, students and teachers were left standing in the classroom. Mr. Roberts said the furniture had become faulty over time and during the students’ two-year hiatus from the classroom, termites exacerbated the problem. In some cases, parents were called in to take their children home.
One school, Scarborough RC School, remained closed as, according to Mr. Roberts, contractors were only sent in on Sunday to service repairs. While he understood the need for the relaxation of the school uniform policy, Mr. Roberts expressed concern about the Division’s messages to parents.
Responding to issues at the Scarborough RC School, Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, Education Secretary Zorisha Hackett and a technical team visited the school and announced that students will return to classes on Monday April 25th.