Nearly three years after the Althea Scatliffe Primary School was closed and condemned, no date has been set to start rebuilding it, according to Education, Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sharie de Castro.
However, work is ongoing behind the scenes, with plans to start construction as soon as possible, Ms. de Castro told the House of Assembly last Thursday.
The minister shared the updates on the project, which is being tackled with the help of the Sir Richard Branson-backed Unite BVI Foundation, in response to a question from opposition member Stacy Mather.
“There have been some delays, and Unite BVI is currently in the ongoing process of finalising project costings and securing approvals from relevant stakeholders,” Ms. de Castro said. “Both the ministry and Unite BVI remain steadfast in our commitment to this collaboration.”
The minister also answered Mr. Mather’s query about whether stakeholder consultations were held to gather input on the project.
“In the pre-design phase of the Althea Scatliffe Primary School rebuild, consultations were conducted with stakeholders including immediate past principals, teachers and staff,” Ms. de Castro said. “These sessions were instrumental in shaping the design brief, ensuring that the new facility aligns with the school’s aspirations and educational needs.”
2022 closure
ASPS was the largest primary school in the territory before it closed suddenly in June 2022 following a structural analysis that raised concerns about its integrity and safety.
It was subsequently demolished in April 2023.
As a result of the closure, nearly 400 students were displaced to other schools. They included about 375 ASPS students and 40 staff members, as well as 15 students with special needs enrolled with the Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre and six additional staff members for that facility, officials said at the time of the school’s closure.
Roof cave-in
During the HOA meeting last week, Ms. de Castro gave an example of the poor state of the school before it closed.
“I recall one incident when the teachers came into school in the morning and the entire roof had fallen in on the tables and in the classroom, and we could only imagine what would have happened had students and teachers been in that classroom at this time,” she said in apparent reference to a ceiling collapse over a weekend in late 2021.
The school’s rebuild was among the education projects that were set to begin last year under a memorandum of understanding government signed with Unite BVI in January 2024.
