GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING retrofitting some secondary schools as management at Harrison College grapples with the challenges of two wheelchair users.
This has been confirmed by Minister of Education Ronald Jones following reports to his ministry that the school is faced with two disabled people – an 11-year-old boy and a long serving teacher – both of whom were recently confined to wheelchairs.
The problem is the Crumpton Street school has no facilities, not even ramps, to accommodate them.
DAILY?NATION investigations revealed that students have had to lift the boy up and down stairs to enable him to attend classes and assist him whenever he travels around the school. There are no bathroom facilities outfitted for disabled people.
Concern has been raised about the ability of the child to attend classes in areas such as the science laboratories which are on upper floors.
In addition, members of both the student and teaching bodies have expressed fears about any accidents which may occur while the child is being lifted to and fro and generally attended.
Principal Winston Crichlow, who is on a term’s leave, said Harrison College, like most of the other secondary schools, was not equipped with the physical facilities or personnel to deal with the disabled.
“The school is not equipped with ramps [or] easy access to washrooms and the walkways are uneven. A lot of work would have to be done by Government if they are to proceed with what they are calling inclusiveness,” he said.
“We had a discussion last year with the ministry and they had been contemplating possibly equipping about five or six secondary schools to handle disabled people so that parents would have choices of these schools.”
Crichlow said the Barbados Association of Public Secondary School Principals (BAPPS) had supported this idea.
“It is a real consideration. We appreciate that there would be a cost attached to it and by choosing five or six schools would make it easier on Government in terms of the financial costs. As a short-term measure, it may be the best way forward because you are talking about installing facilities and providing the [chldren] with qualified personnel to assist them,” he stated, pointing out that it was difficult to expect teachers to add such responsibilities to their already heavy workload.
Minister Jones has confirmed yesterday that the ministry was aware of the challenge facing the school, and noted that such a situation would not have been envisaged when the older secondary schools were constructed.
He, however, said that the ministry was now considering “retrofitting” some older secondary schools to accommodate physically challenged students and teachers.
“I can’t give a timeline on when any of this retrofitting might take place, but I can say that in the case of Harrison College, consideration is being given to an external lift so that the students would be able to access the upper floors.
“Again, I can’t say when this could be facilitated.”
Principal Crichlow said the Barbados Union of Teachers was involved in the sensitive matter regarding the physically challenged teacher.
“The situation involving the teacher also presents problems and this has been drawn to the ministry’s attention for determination,” he said, while admitting that a suggestion had been made for the teacher to be retired early or be accommodated at another school with suitable facilities.
