OVERCROWDING at one of the country’s high performing secondary schools, St Joseph’s Tenaru, has forced a number of their students to sleep on the floor due to lack of beds.
The Catholic-run education institution is located east of Honiara.
Affected are some of the forms two and three female students.
Reports reaching the Solomon Star claimed those who are without any beds ended up sleeping on the floor and walkway.
The overcrowding situation has therefore prompted parents to raise their concerns over the issue this week.
A parent, who asked not to be named, told the Solomon Star a number of parents have witnessed their children sleeping on the floor and are concern.
“This is not good because it would affect the students, their studies and health,” the parents said.
“The school needs to fix this so that all students can have a proper, safe and also good environment of learning,” the parent added.
“Children who been affected have told their parents that although there was lack of space, the school continues to enroll new students with the last week,” he claimed.
The parent said such situation can affect students in their studies and it can also spread diseases and sickness to the students.
Tenaru school principal Abraham Hihiru in response to the concern said this is not a new problem to any boarding school
“It is just a normal thing that always happens in every boarding school,” Mr Hihiru said.
“In the first few months at the beginning of every year of schooling this usually happens,” he added.
He stated parents need to be pro-active rather than reactive to such problem.
“They must understand that we cannot make 200-300 beds just over night.
“I sympathized with those students who are sleeping on the floor, especially the continuing ones.
“But this is also their own fault for being late; we cannot continue to delay school and wait for them while others came all the way from the provinces.”
Mr Hihiru pointed out that one contributing factor to this problem is the enrollment of transferred students.
He said St Joseph’s Tenaru School is a high-performing school and many parents want their children to attend and under-go studies there.
“Some of the students desperately need this opportunity to have a good education.
“I know everybody deserved to be treated equally.
“But his is not a way of solving this problem, parents must understand the fact that everyone wants to learn and they just need to be patient and accept the situation.”
He further stated the school is not prepared to increase any facilities unless there are funds coming from the government or other stakeholders.
Mr Hihiru added he needs the cooperation and understanding from all parents so that they can work together in trying to solve this problem.
Meanwhile, he appeals to parents and guardians to come for the parents meeting scheduled for the next following Sunday so that the matter can be further discussed.
By LYNNISSHA RUNA
