Are you able to find out if it is mandated that where schools are being used as polling stations they must close for a half day the day before the election and if so what is the justification? I cannot fathom that it takes half a day to set the venue up for voting and that it could not easily be done in the evening and even more so that a whole school needs to close when only a hall is being used. Is it a school decision or a directive that each school has no control over?
Auntie’s answer: I went directly to the Elections Office with your question and, as is usually the case with those who work there, I received a reply very quickly. Considering how busy that office has been these last few months, I wanted to acknowledge publicly how helpful the staff has been in answering the many election questions readers have sent my way.
For this latest query, I was told, “There is no requirement in the Elections Law for schools to close early on the day prior to the elections. However, many have opted to do so.”
I think this is one of those situations where there may be more work involved than meets the eye, leading schools to close for that half day. The elections official explained that the office has to prepare 57 polling stations across two islands that have to be set up and ready for inspection by the polling team the evening prior to the election. After the inspection, the station is then secured until the polls open at 7am on 24 May.
Your not from around here are you?
Do these people not realize that the School Calendar compensates for this close of business? All teachers and students are working their full complement of statutory days at all times! There are even tagged-on days at the end of the academic year should schools be closed due to adverse weather conditions, bomb alerts (yes this has happened some time ago) and other anomalies.
On another point, when Prince William got married to Kate, the wedding took place during the schools’ easter vacation. The island had a declared public holiday! No additional holiday came the way of the educational workforce in the schools.
I have met the enemy and it is you. Complaining educators got no additional holiday because there was a holiday during a holiday! Damn you.Your attitude is part of the poisoning of our youth and the very reason so many are incapable of succeeding in the private sector.
Wait. What?
What is it that you are actually saying?
I agree “Wait…”. The phase starting “the enemy…” is the most harmful I have ever heard. This commentator is the true poison. Saying that we complain (so few do because they are afraid) implies that there is no validity in anything we say. I will complain right here about: the sending of students to school with… cell phones and other items that should be confiscated if seen, poor choice of (non-) uniform, without pencils/books/attitude to learning, sleepiness due to late nights and this does not include the poor choices of the minority that are obvious to all.
Our youth are doing as best they can in our hands, given what we are handed at the school gate, thank you. We are doing the best we can. Once again, thanks for this, especially in Teacher Appreciation Week. God Bless You!
Teachers are the hardest working members of our work force…from 8:30am to 3:00pm, 9 months a year.
At least with public education being so awful the harm caused by closure is less.
In fact all of the government schools are closed all day on both Tuesday the 23rd and Wednesday the 24th. This is the case even if the school is not a polling station.
http://www.education.gov.ky/portal/page/portal/mehhome/education/2016-17%20School%20Calendar
Just another excuse to get a day off work… Anyone would do that!
When will education be a priority?
When it is operated by the private sector.
Not everthing in private sector is of high standard. Ie internt speed. tele com dropped call.
But it does tend to be better than the government sector i.e. exam results, entry into top universities, successful careers. Why do you think hundreds of Caymanians find it necessary to spend many thousands of dollars on their children’s education?
Surely you don’t believe that. Both private and government schools have issues.
Yes, but the private sector has half the issues at half the cost.