ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Education Minister Michael Browne says students from Dominica who were in Antigua and Barbuda during the passage of Tropical Storm Erika, will be permitted to attend schools there but with certain specifications.
Browne, in a statement on Wednesday said the students who happened to be here on summer vacation, and whose schools in Dominica remain closed, will be allowed to continue their education in designated public schools until the end of the current school term in December.
The ministry said its courtesy and hospitality will be limited to students with stamps in their passports showing arrival in the country prior to Tropic Storm Erika, but not earlier than three months before the storm.
The students from Dominica will be allowed in the school system if the school which they last attended at home is inoperable and no alternative provisions are in place to continue the their education.
It was also stated that the host family here must “give assurance they will continue to support the student (s)”.
The ministry is collaborating with a prominent Dominica national Cecile Hill to organize registration for these students.
Earlier this week, Hill said she had a list of 20 students from Dominica seeking to get into schools in Antigua.
Once the necessary information concerning the student is obtained, it will be forwarded to the Ministry of Education, where, once it is validated, the student will receive temporary placement.
The ministry said students will be accommodated in schools with space availability.
Tropical Storm Erika, the fourth named storm of the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane season has been blamed for the deaths of 31 people and more than 20 others including two French nationals missing.
Several villages have been cut off as a result of the destruction caused by the storm that also destroyed bridges, roads and buildings.
Thank you sir, soo much.
Thank you kindly for doing this!!!!!!!!!! Great HELP – Together we achieve more
makes sense. if they are still in Antigua, its in their best interest to attend school. kudos for this accommodation
I know this has nothing to do with the topic addressed in this article but boy oh boy Antigua’s education minister is cute..yummm.
God bless Antigua
Mr. Antigua keep your condition, while you people are all over the world enjoying other people land you want to set criteria for our children, who may have lost everything. Please Mr. PM get our children home. Pretty soon the US government will clean house with all their buggerers.
Good inniative,, thank you Antigua..
if someone wants too help out a child from dominica how do you go about finding information.my contact number 1268 5615945 thanks
Thank you Mr. Browne and the government and people of Antigua for your kind gesture at such a difficult time. However, I still feel it did not go far enough and a little less red tape in the way, would make me feel much happier for the following reasons:
1. Dominica is in serious crisis and we need help
2. Dominica is a fellow member of the OES and getting help from sister islands is really a necessity .
3. Hardly do you find a native Antiguan that is not connected to Dominican roots.
4.Labor Party is the government in both islands
5. We speak the same English language and therefore there will not be a language barrier.
In the spirit of oneness, I feel it would be nice if the Antiguan government had opened their doors to any Dominican student in the affected area, as long as their family members in Antigua is able and willing to assist them. That’s how we would treat them if they were in our place.
Damn! he is fine looking …never seen a Antiguan man that fine looking before
This is absurd! When will we people of color treat each other with respect? We are talking about children/ why all these conditions? That is why I won’t partake in this race thing. When a child enters the U.S., he or she has the privilege of free education, documented or not, it hurts my heart that in a time of crisis, the Antiguan Government would be so harsh towards children! People let us unite and embrace everyone, I have learnt that the best treatment is usually from a stranger or someone of another race. The Caribbean must end this disunity! Erika brought many lessons, let us all learn. One Love!
Pity it had to take this calamity for us in CARICOM to engender this shining example of community. Thank you, sir. Your gesture of brotherliness and kindness should pervade the Caribbean.
Thanks again.