Hon. Philip
“Brave” Davis M.P.
Deputy Leader
of The Progressive Liberal Party
& Member
of Parliament for Cat Island, Rum Cay & San Salvador
30th
August, 2010
Re:
Concerns at Old Bight High School, Cat Island
&
Rum Cay All Age School, Rum Cay
It was with
a heavy heart that I received reports this morning that Old Bight High
School in Old Bight, Cat Island was unable to open today due to incomplete
school repairs and insufficient teachers. In spite of the Government
and Minister of Education’s ongoing public relations exercise, the
children of south Cat Island were forced to stay home and miss valuable
school time today. I am advised that the school is in disrepair
with school repairs having started only one week ago. This is
totally unacceptable and a slap in the face of the children of Cat Island.
The Government was aware for months of the need to get the school in
order for this new academic year. By all accounts
the necessary repairs will remain ongoing for some time. All children
of the Bahamas deserve to go to school in a safe environment.
In fact, Old
Bight and south Cat Island is overdue for a new high school.
Additionally,
I am advised that there is a serious shortage of teachers at the Old
Bight High School. Up to this past weekend, the school needed
an additional eight (8) teachers to meet basic education requirement
and to effectively provide the standard and quality of education that
Cat Islanders deserve. Such a critical shortage is deplorable.
The children of Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador deserve better.
I have also
been informed by the residents of Rum Cay that there is also a lack
of teachers at the Rum Cay All Age School. There was only a principal
in place today. The principal expected teachers this morning but
no one arrived. The school requires at least two assistant teachers
to be fully staffed. On the first day of school there was none.
This cannot be right.
I implore the
Government as a matter of urgency to address these teacher shortages.
This is no time for public relations exercises but rather ensuring that
our children return to school and that there are sufficient teachers
in place. The children of Cat Island, Rum Cay & San Salvador have
been victims of Government neglect for far too long and cannot afford
to be left behind. After all, they are Bahamians too!
