The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training (METVT) continues to work closely with environmental officers from the Ministry of Health and Wellness; Envirohealth, the company tasked with conducting environmental testing at St. Luke’s Brighton; and the teachers and staff, who have expressed concern about an intermittent odour, accompanied by reported instances of burning eyes and noses and bitterness in the mouth, headaches, and itchy skin.
The following is a timeline of events illustrating the responsiveness of various departments, their officers, and the environmental testing company.
On October 2, 2024, the Ministry received initial complaints of a foul odor impacting teachers at the plant and, on receiving the report, the school was closed out of precaution in the interest of the teachers and students. Personnel from the Education Technical Management Unit (ETMU) visited the school to locate the source of the odour and a grease trap was flagged as a possible source. That evening at 8:35, personnel from Jose y Jose visited the school and cleaned the grease trap as well as power washed the school yard.
The school remained closed on October 3, to allow tests to be conducted by the team from Envirohealth. Among other works that took place between October 3 and 13 was the replacement and sealing of a rusted cover of grease trap outside the principal’s office by Greaves Wrought Iron Works.
On Monday, October 14, the principal reported that some teachers complained of a sulphur-like odour, accompanied by burning eyes and noses and bitterness in the mouth, headaches, and itchy skin. Classes were suspended by 10:30 a.m. and the Ministry engaged Envirohealth to conduct further tests to detect and locate the source of the odour and perform tests on the surrounding air quality. The team from Greaves Wrought Iron Works was called in again and a manhole in the corner by the Nursery Class was sealed.
Similar complaints about an odour and physical discomfort continued on October 16, prompting a visit from the Building Maintenance Officer of ETMU and personnel from the Environmental Health Department, the following day. On both occasions, odours were reported as undetectable.
On Friday, October 18, only six of 12 teachers reported for duty, and two teachers subsequently left after reporting for work. An Education Officer was deployed to assess the situation, but no odour was detected during the time he remained on the compound. The Deputy Chief Education Officer with responsibility for schools joined the principal on a tour of the plant while an Environmental Health Inspector from the Ministry of Health also visited school.
However, no odour could be detected by any of the parties. On Monday, October 21, the search for the source of the odour was expanded to include the Brighton and Edgecumbe plantations, and the management of both locations confirmed that there was no presence of cow-itch and no spraying of chemicals.
On Wednesday, October 30, the METVT took the decision to close the school at noon to facilitate a meeting attended by members of staff, the Health and Safety Committee, the principal, representatives of BUT and BSTU, personnel from ETMU, Acting Deputy Chief Education Officer, Julia Beckles, and Education Officer, Mr. Lomer Rock.
The report on the test results was presented by Envirohealth and it was revealed that St. Luke’s Brighton appeared clean and well-kept. The report also revealed no abnormalities, no elevated levels of volatile organic compounds and no evidence of escaping gases. The testing officer fielded questions from staff members, who requested that further environmental testing be done. The METVT obliged and the promised testing was conducted on Wednesday, November 13, for which the results are still pending.
Until the availability of the results, the Ministry continues to follow through on recommendations made, including replacing chemical cleaning agents with vinegar, supporting staff efforts in maintaining the clean state of the school plant, continuous monitoring for foul odours, and regular and open communication with the union, staff and parents.
The Ministry of Education expresses gratitude to Envirohealth and the Ministry of Health for their continued support and responsiveness in this matter, as we work towards finding a solution in the interest of the health and safety of all at St. Luke’s Brighton.
Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training