Windsor Forest Primary School children’s space is faced with danger

May 08, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
Please allow me a space in your letters column to shed some light on a few, somewhat, shocking and disturbing facts about Windsor Forest Primary School, Region 3. As the name implies, this is a PRIMARY SCHOOL. Therefore, the youngest child will be between age five to six and the oldest child will be between eleven to twelve years old. Secondly, the catchment area cut off point will allow for children who live in relatively close proximity to attend such schools. With that said, one would appreciate that the age group span of these children will allow for almost, trouble-free assimilation and social interaction. Regrettably, this school is having some kind of experimenting being done by the officers of Region 3 Education department.
A few years back, Windsor Forest had two school buildings to accommodate the children it catered for. However, one wise head teacher decided to shut down one of the buildings, after millions were spent in renovations, the year before its closure. Sadly, that building disappeared in thin air in a matter of months, literally. Now, the one existing building that is being used, supposedly for a primary school, is forced to accommodate a PRIMARY TOP by the Region 3 education department.
Mr. Editor, this has been going on for over four years. That means that, this ONE Building, has children who are six years old and children who are fifteen years old occupying the same space at the same time. Let me describe the gravity of this stupidity that is sliding by very smoothly year after year.
First, the Primary Top consisted of students who were unable to past the Grade Six exam, thus, were not placed in a secondary school. However, under the guise of remedial work, they are placed in a primary top. Basically, they were dumped into Windsor Forest Primary School because they were not catered for. Most of the children who failed the grade six exams came from broken homes and some are very unruly.
Some of the boys will have public brawls and curse at each other, sometimes even at the teachers. They can be seen throwing bricks at each other and using foul language in the school compound. All of this is done in presence of the grade one to grade six children. Secondly, the 6 year olds and 15 year olds have to share the same toilet area, the same corridor, the same playground, the same canteen etc. etc.
I am not sure what the experiment is that the Region3 Education department is doing here. Maybe they are trying to see how long it will be before one of our 6 or 7 year olds is raped in the toilet or, to hear of a child being thrown off the corridor. Are these officers in Region 3 so obtuse that they can’t figure out that this is downright ludicrous and preposterous? I would like to ask the CEO of the Ministry of Education if is this what the ministry practices.
Having 6 year olds and 15 year olds in the same building, in the same playground, using the toilet area? The older children are bullying the younger ones, taking away their money and other personal properties. They are being overrun in the playground, some thrown to the ground etc. How can this be right? This is irresponsible and reckless, to say the least. I am calling on the CEO, on the Minister of Education and anyone in authority who can do something to give back our children their school, so they can be safe and comfortable. If this is a violation of the conventions of the Ministry of Education then it needs to be investigated and the REDO and whoever is responsible should be sanctioned. How dare you expose our children to such discomfort and danger! How dare you let our children’s space be infringed upon! I call on the relevant authority to kindly look into this matter.
Nathaniel Marks

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