Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Come September the doors of Seaforth High School in St. Thomas may remain closed because of a building which leaks whenever it rains, according to principal of the institution, Hopeton Henry.

This building houses several classrooms, the science laboratory, canteen and the tuck shop.

"There is no way we can open school September because all the classes on one building will be totally flooded if it rains," Mr. Henry told The Gleaner yesterday. "If we open school then it would appear that things are normal, and they are not."

Mr. Henry, who will be sworn in as the 39th president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA) on Monday, said the Ministry of Education and Youth had sent in contractors to repair the roof of three buildings at the school but that one was left only partially done.

He added that, as a result of this, the roof leaks when it rains, causing damage to the electrical supply of the building. He also said his administration was forced to transfer electricity from another block to the one in disrepair.

A new contractor

Mr. Henry told The Gleaner the Education Ministry had difficulties with the contractors and said they were going to find a new contractor. He said the Ministry is now in the bidding process but, by the time that is complete, school would have reopened.

Lauriston Wilson, director of technical services in the Education Ministry, said he learned of the problem at Seaforth last week and his ministry is "following up on it". He was however unable to give a time frame for when work will begin.

In the meantime, Senator Noel Monteith, State Minister in the Education Ministry, said he has been touring schools in Regions three to five, which include the parishes of St. Ann, Trelawny, Westmoreland, Hanover, St. Elizabeth and Manchester and has found that there were some schools that were in dire need of repair before they could reopen.

He said he has instructed his building officers to begin working on those schools so they can at least be in a state of readiness for September.

In the meantime, the Junior Education Minister is urging principals and regional officers to inform his ministry of schools that are in need of critical repairs so priority treatment can be provided to them.