Brown's Town High principal renews call for wheelchair lift after student graduates without full access

Brown's Town High School principal Alfred Thomas has again urged education officials to complete a wheelchair lift at the St. Ann institution, after 15-year-old graduate Abigail Constable finished her schooling without full access to several areas on campus.

Abigail, who uses a wheelchair, sat with her graduating class during the school's annual ceremony. Thomas said she entered the school five years ago, but students with mobility challenges still cannot easily reach the upper floors, where some classrooms, laboratories and resource rooms are located.

In his address, Thomas said a representative of the Ministry of Education had promised when Abigail was in grade seven that a lift would be installed to help her move freely through the school. He said that promise was still outstanding as Abigail now leaves the institution.

Thomas said the school appreciated improvements that were made, including ramps and upgraded bathroom facilities to better accommodate wheelchair users. However, he said those changes did not go far enough, because students with disabilities should be able to use every part of the school on equal terms.

"While we are grateful that the ramps were constructed and the bathroom facilities were retrofitted and improved to facilitate wheelchair access, Abigail and any other student who has a disability deserve a learning environment where every facility is equally accessible," Thomas said.

He also offered a public apology to Abigail and her parents, saying he regretted that years of advocacy had not resulted in the lift being built. Thomas recalled receiving communication from the permanent secretary indicating that funds had been committed for retrofitting work, wheelchair access, ramps and related improvements.

He used the occasion to make what he described as an urgent appeal to the Ministry of Education and the National Education Trust to speed up completion of the wheelchair lift so future students are not left facing the same barriers.