Government looking at student safety in wake of continued school closures
Posted Feb 24, 2015 03:57:21 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Four Halifax-area schools remain closed today while maintenance crews continue to repair leaky roofs caused by the weekend’s heavy rain and melting snow.
The Halifax Regional School Board has called off classes at Astral Drive Junior High, J.L. Ilsley High, Beechville-Lakeside-Timberlea Senior Elementary (3-5), St. Catherine’s Elementary and Humber Park Elementary was added to the closure list at 8:30 a.m.
PC education critic Pat Dunn told News 95.7 he’s concerned about what practices are in place to make schools safer.
“As long as this is continuing — this heavy weight on the roofs and the leaking problem and so on — I sure hope that they will be monitored and no students will be in jeopardy as long as they’re attending school in these buildings across the province.”
Dunn said he sent a letter to education minister Karen Casey asking what exactly the provincial government is doing to ensure students are not put in danger.
Casey told News 95.7 student safety is the number one priority.
“The school boards are vigilant,” she said. “They certainly are responding to some of the unusual weather conditions that we’re having and they recognize potential danger, and they’re vigilant to that.”
Casey said $15-million was put into a special capital budget this past year to respond to infrastructure demands, and said that they plan to make sure that budget will be provided again this year.
According to the Halifax Regional School Board, all remaining schools are open today, including Colonel John Stuart Elementary, St. Joseph’s-A. MacKay Elementary, Prince Andrew High and Seaside Elementary — which had all been closed yesterday.
