Updated Information on the reopening of school

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Silveria Jacobs

 

PHILIPSBURG—The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport is currently still on target for the reopening of schools. The soft opening of school is set for September 28th, 2017. The soft opening will consists of students assessing their school materials, and speaking with their teachers, peers and guidance counselors. The official start date will be October 2nd, 2017.

The Foundation Catholic Education school board consisting of the St. Dominic Primary and High School, the Sister Regina Primary School, the St. Joseph Primary School, the Sister Magda Primary School, the Sister Borgia Primary School, and the Sister Marie Laurence Primary School is fully prepared to reopen for all grades and cycles on October 2nd, 2017.  The SVOBE school board consisting of the Milton Peters College and the Sundial School will be operational for pre exam and exam classes. The FAVE school board consisting of the Academy, Academy PSVE and CAPE will also be operational for the pre exam and exam classes. The Methodist Agogic Center, the Asha Stevens and Hillside Christian Schools will also be operational as of October 2nd, 2017. All Public Schools will commence on October 2nd with the pre exam and exam classes, while other classes will be announced once more information is available as to the teacher availability on Tuesday, September 26th, 2017.

As of Wednesday, September 27th, the National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA) will no longer be utilized as a shelter, after which it will be thoroughly cleaned and ready for classes on October 2nd, 2017. The University of St. Martin has granted the Charlotte Brookson (CBA) academy the use of three (3) classrooms, which will allow the CBA to commence on the target date of October 2nd, with the 5th and 6th formers at the University of St. Martin. The University of St. Martin and the Seventh Day Adventist School are still in the process of assessing the nature and severity of the damage and availability of classrooms and staff. Once the information has been determined, the information will be made available accordingly. The Learning Unlimited commenced classes, today, Monday September 25th, 2017.

School boards have met internally and have made provisions to house students in collaboration with sister schools.

Currently 18 out of the 27 schools have electricity and 12 have water. The Minister ECYS, the honorable Silveria Jacobs, and staff members of the Ministry ECYS are in contact with NV GEBE, Telem and UTS, to ensure the restoration of electricity, water and telecommunications to the schools to remain on target with the reopening of schools.

“I am very impressed by the readiness of the subsidized schools and their cooperation with each other to make the reopening of school a reality as soon as possible. I would like to thank all teachers, management and staff and school boards for all their personal sacrifices to make this possible in the interest of our youth on St. Maarten. Your needs will also be met, your happiness and wellbeing is also important to us and with God’s help and strength, we will all make it through this ordeal stronger and better than before. Education is on the move,” Minister Jacobs concluded.