~ To undergo needed repairs in summer ~
EBENEZER--The odour problem in the business section at the Preparatory Secondary Vocational Education (PSVE) section of St. Maarten Academy has resulted in space constraints as some teachers and students refuse to use the section.
Some displaced teachers have reportedly resorted to conducting their lessons outdoors, though Chairperson of the Board Josianne Fleming-Artsen said a schedule was being used to accommodate all classes.
She added that there was only an issue with space during exam periods, and noted that in such cases the board would seek to have students accommodated at an off-premises location such as University of St. Martin (USM).
School board representative Van Dyke Bell said the situation was unfortunate and assured that rectifying the issue with the business section was part of the board's plan to carry out much needed repairs to the school building during the summer break. "We will take care of whatever needs to be done so that the business section can be operational again," said Fleming-Artsen.
Repairs are also expected to be conducted to the section of the overhang at the institution, which collapsed several weeks ago. The overhang is connected to the building that houses the first and second form classes, and while the section of the collapsed overhang is restricted, classes in this section are reportedly continuing as usual.
The odour problem in the business section is one of the long-standing concerns of teachers and students, who have complained of feeling ill when in the section for prolonged periods. However, school board representative Van Dyke Bell said a Hygiene Department report indicated that the building was fit for use.
He said the school had made several attempts to rectify the odour problem in the past, to no avail. One of the measures taken was to cap all pipes in the building leading to the cesspool, as it was originally believed that the foul smell stemmed from sewage connections, but this seemed not to be the case. He explained that the school was built on a spring, which was part of the problem.
The board will make another concerted effort to rectify the problem during the summer break. An expert will be brought in to assess the problem and corrective measures will be taken.
"The intention is to get someone to assess and find out exactly what the problem is," said Bell. "There seems to be something in the air that irritates, but the Hygiene Department was there and ... declared the place fit for use, because at that time they said it was a stench emanating from the basement." Bell said some have complained of inhaling something with a "sulphur" scent when in the building.
The repairs will be done during summer to limit the effect on students and classes. He said though that the repair was likely to take longer than the summer break because of the magnitude of the work involved. The board will seek additional classroom space to accommodate students who will be displaced as a result.
"We will need additional classrooms even without the repairs," he said. "We have problems finding classrooms for certain classes so we have to juggle to get through. That's another reason why we are looking for alternative space."
In the meantime, The Daily Herald understands that teachers are not too pleased with the situation that currently exists at the school. Teachers are reportedly irked that they have to teach outdoors and have complained that these are in no way ideal conditions under which students should learn.
This newspaper was told of cases in which some teachers had tried to work out the situation by giving up their rooms to allow their displaced colleagues to teach in them.
