Basseterre: St. Kitts, Saturday, February 23, 2023: Minister of Tourism and elected representative for constituency #2, Hon Marsha Henderson joined key officials in the Ministry of Education to lend her support to the compassionate care and rehabilitation initiatives at the Irish Town Primary School.
The Minister said she was pleased that the Ministry of Education had been so proactive in its attempts to offer compassion and support to the victims of the most recent unfortunate violent act which took place at the school which resulted in the loss of life of the school’s security guard.
Minister Henderson while addressing the Ministry of Education’s Senior Leadership Team, which is chaired by the Permanent Secretary Mrs. Lisa-Romayne Pistana, expressed sincere condolences to the education fraternity and pledged her sincere support to assist the Ministry of Education’s efforts. Minister Henderson also noted that this type of senseless violence was in no way acceptable and added that cabinet had expressed its full support of any initiative that would assist the Irish Town Primary School family, surrounding neighbourhoodsand in fact the entire Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis who are all victims of the crime.
The team was assured that she had already started efforts to liaise with community partners for tangible assistance in the efforts to secure the physical space and other compassionate related activities. Permanent Secretary Pistana who is heading the process of healing and rehabilitation thanked Minister Henderson for the promised assistance to the Ministry of Education.
Items addressed during the meeting included the way forward for the counseling of students and their return to campus.
Also up for discussion were the way forward for teaching and learning, location for classes in the interim and extended counseling for victims.
Mrs. Pistana made it clear that while a return to school is imminent and important, no stone would be left unturned in seeking to ensure that staff and students possess the mental fortitude to return.
Two churches in St. Kitts namely The Church of God and Gospel Hall both located in the vicinity have stepped forward to offer their assistance with physical space, while the Seventh Day Adventist Church and New Birth Gospel Tabernacle Pastors have offered spiritual guidance and support in the Anti- Violence Stance. The Garden Hotspurs Football Team lead the Anti Violence Campaign with a March on Friday February 18.
The Ministry of Education’s School Guidance CounsellingCoordinator Mrs. Sasha Gay Mc Dermott is taking the lead on counseling issues.
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