EXCLUSIVE: Santa Venera School Refurbished Days After Mother Called Out Unhygienic Conditions
A Santa Venera school has refurbished its classrooms after being called a “disease chamber” by a mother due to the dire conditions inside the room.
“When I walked into the school I immediately saw that the corridors were done, I thought ‘oh that’s a good start’ and we went to the classroom and it was all fixed,” Kasia Sztal told Lovin Malta.
In photos published last week, the classroom appeared in an unhygienic state, with mould growing in various areas, as well as wires dangling dangerously at child level. The growing reports on the story led to unions and organisations agreeing with Sztal’s points.
However, with workers on the scene this week, Sztal saw firsthand the progress that had occurred since last week.
“Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a lot to be done,” she continued. “They kept the old furniture and the toys still smell mouldy, but the walls are brand new, and they didn’t just paint over the wall, but you could see that they also plastered it so they did put a lot of good work into it.”
The mother was told that a new membrane was going to be installed to sort out the mould.
While some of the toys and carpets remained mouldy, the overall mould smell had been removed from the classrooms according to Sztal, and there was even a promise of new furniture from the school authorities. Sztal was even told that the headmistress spent the entire weekend in the classroom ensuring that the appropriate changes were being made.
“Slowly slowly there is progress,” she said, noting that it wasn’t just the classroom she had pointed out, but most of the classrooms that she saw that had been redone… even though it wasn’t all perfect.
“The toilets remained the same, so I’ve asked if I could bring my own seat for the kids, and I was told that it should be okay,” Sztal said.
After seeing the classrooms last week, Sztal had been ready to move her daughter to another school. But now that the bulk of the problems have been addressed, she’s happy to keep her daughter in Santa Teresa.
Though she was criticised by authorities and by certain parts of Maltese society for taking pictures of the dire conditions, Sztal is just happy to have changed circumstances for her daughter, and the other children, to have a higher quality education in a safer environment.
“I’d rather do this and have my daughter stay in a safe school,” she ended.
What do you think of the newly done up classrooms?
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