St. Kitts and Nevis: Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew ensured the students, teachers and ancillary staff regarding their safety at Cayon High School. He ensured them that the Government is making significant investments into renovation work and corrective measures at the school.
Reportedly, PM Drew visited to the school compound on Wednesday, September 04, 2024 and saw the firsthand significant renovation work being undertaken. This is his second visit in a week and marks the commitment of the government towards health and safety of all who work, learn and visit the institution.
Considering his visit, Prime Minister Drew said that they continue to invest heavily in the school. They are painting the school, putting in the new doors, new windows, new furniture and getting the facility cleaned to get rid of any type of contaminant which might affect the school, children, teachers and other staff.
The initiative has been taken as the Ministry of Education was unsatisfied with the results from previous mould tests and employed the use of UV light, which leveraged the power of ultraviolet light that offers a non-toxic way to eliminate mould spores without leaving behind any chemical residue.
Furthermore, the officials are now awaiting the results of the tests, done after the use of the UV light method. PM Drew mentioned that the federation is dealing with the problem and they will overcome this like any other issue they deal with.
According to Dr. Drew, the most important thing is the health of the people, students, teachers, environmental workers, guards and servers, and they are the number one priority, that will never be compromised.
The Cayon High School is following a hybrid model for the new term where some students are receiving personal or face-to-face instructions, whereas others are attending classes remotely by using devices, that were distributed by the government in November 2023, as a part of its Enhancing Learning Continuity and Inclusion Project.
Referring to this, Prime Minister Dr. Drew said that his administration has put together a task force to address the issue of mould in St. Kitts and Nevis. He clarified that due to the rising temperatures as a direct result of climate change, it is anticipated that an increase in the growth of mould will be observed, as the need for such a task force.
Drew added that this is one of the consequences of climate change and for this they have deemed it extremely necessary to put a task force together, and make sure that the environment in St. Kitts and Nevis are safe for the people.
Initially, the task force comprises of the Permanent Secretaries (PS) in the Ministries of Sustainable Development, Public Works and Education.
Notably, it will also consist of the representation from the St. Kitts and Nevis Bureau of Standards and other experts in the field.