Education authorities came under fresh scrutiny after a parent advocate criticised what she described as delayed communication and insufficient protocols around school closures, as flood warnings forced an early end to classes across the island on Monday.
The Ministry of Educational Transformation ordered all schools to dismiss at 1 p.m. today after a flood warning was issued by the Barbados Meteorological Services.
But parent and student advocate Paula-Anne Moore said the ministry should have acted sooner, especially after the widespread flooding experienced on Sunday and the conditions reported in Monday’s forecast.
The island has been under a flood watch since Sunday, when torrential rain caused severe flooding, damaged roads and left several communities waterlogged. The Met Office upgraded the watch to a flood warning at 9:38 on Monday morning, citing the likelihood of “heavy to intense showers throughout the day” and possible accumulations of more than nine inches in some areas.
Following the upgrade, the ministry issued a statement informing parents that all schools would close early. “Parents and guardians, kindly arrange for the collection of your children at your earliest convenience,” the ministry said, noting it would continue to be guided by the BMS on decisions regarding the safe reopening of schools.
Moore said she wrote to senior education officials early on Monday morning, urging them to consider the risks highlighted in the BMS bulletin and the potential struggles for thousands of students dependent on public transport.
“In view of this official forecast, will the ministry release the children from school early so they get off the road early and safely?” she asked. “The children in private cars may be delayed in rush hour traffic but at least they will be dry; the ones dependent on public transport are not as privileged.”
She said proactive decisions are critical in weather-related situations and suggested that guidance for parents should ideally come before 6 a.m., allowing families and workplaces time to adjust.
“Late notice leads to further disruptions in the workplace and family child care plans,” she added.
Moore also questioned whether a national school infrastructure protocol exists to guide such decisions, noting that Sunday’s flooding would have required officials to assess the condition of school buildings before reopening this morning.
The ministry said updates on reopening will be issued after further guidance from the BMS.
The public is being urged to remain vigilant as unstable weather conditions continue across the island. (SM)
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