Save West End School Campaign Continues
A group seeking to “save West End Primary School from closure” plan to gather in Hamilton on Friday [Nov 12] with the team’s action to “comprise placard bearers and brochure distribution.”
A spokesperson said, “The campaign to save West End Primary School from closure continues on Friday November 12th at Nellie’s Walk on Church Street in Hamilton, beginning at 12 noon.
“Dubbed the ‘West End Warriors For Legacy’ the team’s action will comprise placard bearers and brochure distribution. They will be highlighting the key features of West End Primary school which make it a better choice, as the Parish Primary school, than Government’s current choice of Somerset Primary school.
A spokesperson for the group states that “Government’s yet to be disclosed total cost estimates, for converting either school to their proposed 21st Century, fit-for-purpose facility, are very likely to be far lower for West End Primary than for Somerset Primary”.
“Other factors that put West End Primary at the front of the line, include its superior geographic location, its unmatched historical significance and the fact that it is the one school in Sandys Parish that has the honour of having educated the vast majority of Sandys Parish residents – past and present.
“Additional key aspects of the West End Warriors’ position include: safety of the children, public transportation accessibility, environmental factors and its already existing status as the community ‘hub’.
“West End Primary at 152 years old, was founded in 1869 to provide education for black children at a time when slavery had only just been abolished in the United States of America.
“Let us not forget, it is one of the oldest, continuously-operated, black, elementary schools in the Western hemisphere”.
In July, following a consultation process, the Government announced that they will move forward with Parish Primary Schools which “will see one primary school per parish with two primary schools in Pembroke for a total of 10 primary schools, eight less than the 18 primary schools we currently use.”
“There will be no closures of any primary schools this school year or next school year. These eventually discontinuing use of any schools will be phased in over a period of no less than five years, starting after the 2022/23 school year and more specifically between 2023 and 2027,” the Government said.
One of the primary schools scheduled to be closed in the coming years is West End Primary school, and the Committee to Save West End Primary School has been formed; they held a town hall meeting in July and also held a car rally in June.
Just a thought.
Purchase the school, make it Private. Or lease it from Gov’t for a Peppercorn.
As a Private entity, you will have your own Governors etc.
Each Parish should have their own school, run by their Parish, Teachers, parents & students. This would take the pressure of the overworked government.
Keep fighting for what You believe to be right, at all costs, History is a very precious commodity. At the rate of destruction, there wont be anything of value left to pass onto the future generations.
It’s time for the good people of Bermuda to take matters into their own hands.
You have the power to do so, after all you are the majority.
People only ‘have power over you if you allow them that power, take away that power and what will they have, follow your own conscience.’