Education Ministry: No link between St George’s flooding, repairs

Students leave St George's College on September 17 after sharp, heavy midday showers led to the Barataria school being flooded for several hours. - Photo by Angelo Marcelle

THE Education Ministry has said the flooding at St George’s College, Barataria, on September 18 was not connected to the recent repairs to the school’s roof and ceiling.

It said attempts to connect the two are linked to an ongoing agenda to resist the school's return to Barataria.

In a release on September 18, the ministry said flooding in Barataria on September 17 was caused by heavier-than-usual rainfall. It said since St George’s College experienced flooding as well, run-off water rose in the school's courtyard and corridors during the height of the rain, and subsequently ran off.

It said the attempt to conflate the isolated flooding incident with the extensive work done on the school's roof, ceiling and electrical systems was curious and baseless.

St George’s College will continue to receive both the administrative and infrastructural attention it requires, the release said, and while the infrastructural upgrade to the 70-year-old school has steadily advanced, the school's internal operations also require and are receiving the MOE's attention.

The release said the infrastructural upgrade at the school is taking place on a phased basis. Phase One required the school to be relocated, and roofing, ceiling, electrical works, AC repair, and repainting works were completed at a cost of approximately $10 million.

The school was moved to UTT's Valsayn campus in 2022.

It said the school was resettled and Phase Two, which does not require relocation, is progressing. It includes installing wall fans and associated electrical works, flooring, windows, PA system, AC servicing, fence repair, and other miscellaneous works, at a cost of $1.6 million.

The ministry said a deeper issue at the college is a lack of internal unity and collaboration towards a shared vision of success, which has been happening for a few years.

“When the principal, staff, local school board, PTA and alumni associations are collaborating positively, the benefits to the school are meaningful; the situation is completely different when they are not.”

The ministry said it had received and was investigating reports that 80 fans supplied to the school by its alumni are unaccounted for.

It said it has also received reports that approaches by various stakeholder bodies to assist the school with infrastructural improvement have met with resistance.

Additionally it said there have also been several complaints from parents about less than positive interactions of staff with students.

“These are all symptoms which point to the need for even closer supervision and guidance of the school, its operations and stakeholder interactions. The school supervisor has been assigned to work very closely with the administration and stakeholders to improve this situation. Ministry officials will also directly manage offers of assistance to the school, to ensure that they are accepted and progressed to the benefit of the students.”

The Education Ministry said it would continue to monitor the school very closely.

“Its internal rumblings have much more potential to disrupt the continued success of its students than an isolated flooding incident. The Education Ministry will not allow the proud history of this institution to be marred, and its potential for future success impacted.”