CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – Education Minister Shawn Edward says at least seven schools in the southern town of Vieux Fort will not re-open for the third term of the academic year on Monday as scheduled to facilitate psycho-social support interventions for principals, teachers, and ancillary staff.
Vieux Fort has been the scene of a surge in deadly gun violence. The government declared the second town an escalated crime zone, giving police expanded powers to battle criminal activity.
Several people, including a nine-year-old boy, were killed during the upsurge in violence.
“Our teachers in the south are hurting, and they are also grieving,” Edward said in a radio and television broadcast on Sunday night.
He said the delay would affect two secondary schools and a particular education school, and teachers at the seven schools would report on Monday. At the same time, students will attend classes a day later.
In his broadcast, Edward explained that the ‘troubling issue’ of school security and safety were among the priority areas, adding, “This is a massive concern for us at it for parents, principals, students, and teachers…rest assured the Ministry of Education is taking steps to address this issue.
“We recognize, however, a need for immediate action to create a space within our schools in the south,” he said, adding that the authorities will be utilizing various approaches “ for a short-term intervention during the third term.
”One should expect to see a more significant presence of security personnel on the ground, both police and private security, until the situation improves as I hope it to give the interventions being made by Central Government,” Edward said.
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