By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Minister of Education Desmond Bannister yesterday expressed concern that thousands of children set to return to classrooms today will face shortages in teaching staff and uncompleted repairs, with some schools being in such a “woeful state” that they pose a danger.

Mr Bannister, the Free National Movement’s candidate for Carmichael, called on Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald to publicly state the number of teacher shortages in each public school throughout the islands.

Last week, Mr Fitzgerald acknowledged his ministry’s concern over the “unexpected” applications for early retirement from over 100 public school teachers this year.

Mr Fitzgerald said 119 teachers applied for early retirement this year, which, for him, was a “big number” by the ministry’s standards that came “unexpectedly” to officials. He also indicated that the ministry has seen “a number” of teachers give notice of their intent to resign within the last two weeks and that he expected “more unforeseen resignations” to occur before the start of the new school year.

Mr Fitzgerald at the time said the ministry had focused its attention on ensuring that the Family Island schools are staffed as best as possible, adding that the Ministry of Education will likely have to employ some 30 “supply teachers” in order to fill the vacancies that were created.

The minister noted that the capital was not an issue for the ministry, as he said New Providence has enough teachers “we can bring in in order to fill the void.”

However Mr Bannister called for more details on teacher shortages.

“I call upon the minister of education, if he truly cares about accountability, to publicly provide an accounting of the shortage of teachers in each school, so that parents will be fully informed of the plight that their children face,” Mr Bannister said in a statement.

“But I know that my plea will fall on deaf ears. He will not do so. This is not a government of accountability.

“Our precious children will return to schools throughout our country that are in the worst state of disrepair in modern memory. Several of the school campuses are in such a woeful state that they are downright dangerous. It is telling that this government has prioritised the spending of millions of our hard earned tax dollars on a weekend party called carnival but refuses to make a similar investment in the education of our innocent young children, a group that represents hope for the future of our country.”

Mr Bannister called the teacher shortage “a scandalous shame” that is “painful to see” because “thousands of our bright young children will be reporting to classrooms without teachers.”

“Many will have no desks or chairs,” he claimed.

Mr Bannister stressed that teachers, parents and students deserve better than having to endure overcrowded classrooms, incomplete repairs, equipment and supply shortages and unsanitary conditions on various campuses.

Public school repairs were expected to cost between $9m and $10m this year.