MARIGOT--The planned soft opening of the Robert Weinum Cité Scolaire in La Savane on Monday, January 4, where some 750 pupils will start classes there for the first time, may lose some of the excitement of anticipation due to a strike organised on the same day by the teachers’ unions.
A notice of strike (préavis de grève) was submitted to the Collectivité, starting from 7:00am on January 4 and ending on January 8 at 5:00pm.
While the buildings have been completed and are ready for occupation, the unions contend there are various anomalies that still have to be corrected following their visit to the site on December 12.
In any event there are no classes on January 4 as this is an orientation day for the 650 Lycée students from Technology and General and some 100 Collège pupils to find their way around the new buildings.
SE-UNSA union representative Serge Bagat indicated whether the strike goes the full distance depends on the outcome of meetings with his members on Monday and if there is assurance the issues can be resolved. He estimated 60 per cent of teachers would support the strike, but it could be less or more.
“All we want is for the teachers to be working in the best conditions, ultimately for the success of the students,” Bagat told The Daily Herald. “We were happy of course to have a new building but we also have an obligation to say that not all is right with it, beautiful though it is. Some of our complaints have simply been ignored or work has gone ahead without consulting us first.”
He cited security as one of the main concerns of the unions.
“The security commission gave a favourable report but that was for the buildings and regarding construction to withstand earthquakes etc. but we are concerned about security in the Physics classrooms, especially where chemical products and acid spills are concerned.
“There was an incident on December 18 during the moving when two to three persons had to be treated for burns when a bottle of nitric acid spilt. There is no water placed in these laboratories in cases these sort of accidents occur and what are the security measures to prevent them from happening? Chemical products are not supposed to be stored inside closets inside the classroom.”
Other complaints include the language laboratory being too small, uneven surfaces on the basketball courts and gymnasium and sports field not finished.
Contacted yesterday, Cité Scolaire Principal Frantz Gumbs disagreed with the union’s concern over the Physics lab and acid spills, but did not go into detail.
“That is their viewpoint, but not ours,” he said. “Things are not always perfect, and obviously we have to make adjustments as we go along. Some are more important than others. The nature of construction is that you cannot have it all ways.”
Neither Gumbs nor Evelyne Fleming, Chargée de Mission and Deputy to Rectorat’s representative Michel Sanz, knew what impact the strike would have.
“We don’t know how many strikers will support it,” Gumbs said. “The first thing I will do is see exactly what the position of the teachers is. If the support is less than 30 per cent, that’s manageable. But if it’s more I may have to cancel some classes.”
Aside from the concerns, the union also highlights the positive aspects including the building’s disposition to natural ventilation, security firm in place, separate entrances for Lycée and Collège, the cafeteria, lockers for students, air conditioned computer rooms, meeting rooms and administrative offices etc.
Michel Sanz described the establishment as “beautiful, well thought out. Working conditions for students and teachers will be very good.”
