Pupils of Princes Town ASJA Primary School returned to classes yesterday after their parents kept them away for the first week of the new school term because of electrical problems at the school.
While its electrical system has not been upgraded by the Ministry of Education as parents had requested last week, they decided to send pupils back to school after a private electrical inspector found that air-conditioning units, installed at the school two years ago, were the source of the problem.
The units have been disconnected from the main panel box and the president of the school’s Parent Teacher Association, Alieam Hosein, says the 420 pupils are no longer in danger.
“We were advised last Wednesday by the district supervisor to hire an electrician to inspect the system and determine the danger.
“He disconnected the units from the panel box and told us there was no longer any threat an electrical fire could break out,” Hosein said yesterday
He led almost 100 parents in three days of protest last week, calling on the Education Ministry to conduct an overhaul of the school’s electrical system.
The parents kept their children away from classes on the first day of the new term, stating their lives were being put at risk by the ministry’s failure to upgrade the system as promised over the Easter vacation.
Half-day classes for Standard Five pupils are being held at the school from Wednesday onwards but the pupils were not allowed to use the lighting or fans as no electrical equipment could be used.