President Gibbs and Head of Education Michel Sanz welcoming students in Collège Soualiga, Cité Scolaire, on Monday.
MARIGOT–Monday was “D Day” on the French side with parents, teachers and children from kindergarten age up to adolescent students gathering in an orderly manner at the various school gates throughout the territory for the start of the new academic year.
An estimated 7,380 students are distributed among 14 schools, three Collèges and two Lycées, and their return is phased over the next few days, according to a carefully controlled schedule, depending on class and type of study.
At the Professional Lycée in Concordia, Principal Janine Hamlet and her Vice-Principal welcomed three different classes during the day, beginning at 8:00am with the subject assistance et service (social worker studies) followed by electronics at 10:00am and lastly, business management at 2:30pm. Chef du Service for education in St. Martin and St. Barths, Michel Sanz also arrived to wish students a successful school year.
Tuesday continues with welcoming an automobile mechanics class and a hotel and restaurant class, and on Wednesday, carpentry, administration and boat-building classes.
The assembly was attended by teachers, those working in the administrative services, and a few parents. Hamlet expressed her disappointment that so few parents had showed up with their children on the important first day. Students were briefed in English, French and Spanish on the school rules; respecting teachers and dress code, and given an overview of the reconstruction work carried out at the Lycée. She said she was satisfied conditions were good enough for study. At the end of the briefings, teachers led their students off to class.
“A lot of reconstruction work has taken place over the summer, workshops have been covered and we don’t have leaks,” Hamlet told The Daily Herald. “We are not using all the classrooms yet so it might happen that a teacher reports a maintenance problem. The only problem was the library where there were some difficulties, but the work is advancing there. I think the Collectivité deserves a big bravo for the work that has been done to all the schools. Work is still going on in the Salle Polyvalent (activities hall), but that is expected to be delivered by Christmas. Electrical repairs have been done in all the classrooms.
“Overall, the conditions are not too bad and parents also have assistance if they need it, so the ball is in the court of the students and I do expect them to do their best to improve on the 2019 results. The Baccalaureate pass rate was not very good, just 68 per cent. We lost 15 points on the 2018 results. But that’s behind us. Thursday and Friday, we have meetings with the teachers. The Lycée is evolving, so there are changes in store for the future. Then on Monday all classes will operate as normal.”
The Lycée’s full complement of teachers is 102 with around 800 students. Hamlet added that parents who left the island after Hurricane Irma with their children are returning and registering at the high school.
English teacher Thierry said he was hopeful teaching conditions would be better than the year before.
“There is still work going on, so we have to wait and see,” he said. “Normally it is supposed to be all finished by January 2020. The last two years have been tough, but it seems to be better now.”
He added that the number of students in classes can go from 14 to 31, depending on the subject studied. But most students are separated into groups of 14 or 15. One of the few parents present confided that she hoped students could focus on their studies while repair work was still going on.
Meanwhile President Daniel Gibbs visited the Cité Scolaire (Lycée and College) in La Savane on Monday for the return to school there, accompanied by Sanz and elected officials Mireille Meus and Ale Pierre, taking the opportunity to wish students success.
The president first visited Soualiga-Weinum Collège and Robert Weinum High School in Cité Scolaire, where he met with 6th grade students and BTS (higher education) students. The president then stopped at Elie Gibs Primary School in Grand Case, then at Quartier d’Orleans Collège, where he visited the completely rebuilt multipurpose room and met with students from various grades.
Gibbs took the time to address the children to discuss with them the reconstruction of schools and the efforts made by the Collectivité to make it a success.
“With my Vice-President Annick Pétrus, who could not join me because she was detained by the start of the school year, we are satisfied with the progress made, even if it has been long and difficult,” he said. “There is still work to be completed in some establishments until All Saints’ Day holiday, but I can assure you the Collectivité has worked hard in recent months to ensure your return to school is as smooth as possible. The hardest part is behind us and I am now counting on you to give the best of yourself and make your school year a success.”
Gibbs, his vice-presidents, elected representatives and staff of the Collectivité wished a very good start to the school year to all students, teaching staff and staff of the institutions, without forgetting the students joining schools abroad.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/90532-7-380-students-to-start-new-school-year-on-french-side
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