MECYS Takes Immediate Action to Address Health and Safety Risks at Marie Genevieve de Weever School

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (MECYS) hereby informs the general public that, following a recent environmental health inspection conducted by the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA), initiated at the request of the Minister Melissa D. Gumbs, an urgent Stop Order has been issued for several classrooms at the Marie Genevieve de Weever School.

The affected classrooms are rooms 103, 104, 109, and 112 through 117. The order was issued as a result of the discovery of significant health hazards, including rat and pigeon droppings, nests, and other signs of infestation, all of which pose serious risks to the health, safety and well-being of both students and staff.

In keeping with our responsibility to provide and ensure a safe and conducive learning environment, the Ministry has acted swiftly and decisively in response to the findings. The affected areas have been immediately cordoned off, and comprehensive remediation, cleaning, and sanitation measures are now being coordinated in close collaboration with all the relevant authorities.

A total of 112 students will be directly affected by the temporary closure of these classrooms. The Ministry is actively implementing contingency measures to ensure educational continuity, including the reassignment of classes to available spaces within the MGDW School and the temporary relocation of three (3) classes to the Division of Examinations building nearby. Transportation arrangements for the affected students between the MGDW School and the temporary site have been fully secured and will be supervised to ensure student safety and punctuality.

In order to facilitate the smooth commencement of these arrangements and to allow staff to prepare the temporary learning spaces, the Marie Genevieve de Weever School will be closed on Friday, November 7, 2025.

MECYS will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to minimise any disruption to teaching and learning. The Ministry will continue to provide timely updates as remediation progresses and will communicate clear timelines for the safe return of all students and staff to their regular classrooms.

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport reaffirms its unwavering commitment to safeguarding the health, safety, and well-being of every child, educator, and school worker in Sint Maarten’s education system. Further information will be shared as the situation evolves.

The Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Hon. Melissa D. Gumbs, noted that the situation at the Marie Genevieve de Weever School highlights broader infrastructural and maintenance challenges across the public-school network. “While our immediate focus is on restoring safe learning conditions at MGDW, we recognise that similar issues exist at other schools. In coordination with the Ministry of VSA, MECYS will therefore be expanding inspections to all public schools to assess conditions and take prompt corrective action wherever needed,” the Minister stated. “This process will also inform the development of a long-term, structural maintenance and facilities management plan, through which MECYS intends to bring all public schools up to acceptable health and safety standards and ensure that every child and teacher can learn and work in an environment of dignity and care.”