Concerned about their children’s safety after an intruder scaled the school wall, parents of St Brigid’s Girls’ RC protested yesterday morning calling for better security on the compound.
As they stood outside the locked school gates in Siparia, the police arrived and this led to the parents becoming more incensed.
Calling on the Ministry of Education to address their concerns urgently, some of the parents have decided to keep their children at home until their concerns are addressed.
A spokesperson for the parents, who gave her name only as Crystal, explained that a couple of weeks ago there were a few break-ins at the school in which a pressure washer, paint, fans and hand sanitisers were stolen. That incident occurred on New Year’s weekend according to police reports.
However, Crystal said parents decided to take action after an intruder entered the school while classes were ongoing and traumatised the girls.
“On Friday there was an intruder in the school and the girls are totally traumatised. Today the parents have taken a stand. We are keeping our students home today and we need the ministry’s support in getting the matter resolved.
“He was actually peeping through the window, that’s by the infant building, he was peeping at the girls and then started laughing at them. The girls got scared. Some of them ran under the table even the teachers were traumatised because they did not know what do and they had to dismiss school as well,” she said.
Crystal lamented that the children are afraid to return to school. She said the back wall, which borders a cemetery, needs to be secured properly because intruders still have easy access to the compound.
“First of all where the intruder came through the fencing is very low and it have a heap of rubbish to the back of the school that they are using to assist them in stepping over the wall,” she explained.
Apart from properly securing the wall, the spokesperson said parents want a second security officer posted at the school as well as proper lights and a camera system.
When contacted via WhatsApp, Education Minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said security at denominational schools was the responsibility of the Education Boards.
“The providers of security at denominational schools are the Boards. Therefore, that matter should be raised by the Principal with the Board,” the minister said.
When contacted, Catholic Education Board of Management chief executive officer Sharon Mangroo said she was going to look into the matter. There was no further response up to last evening.