Parents slam 'disgusting' school building

Eric Baxter 1629 - 1629 • Published 18 Jun 2009 14:00

PARENTS have hit out at the "disgusting" condition of an Inverclyde school.

St Columba"s pupils and staff are set to move into the former Greenock High building on Monday.

But mums and dads, who were given a look around the school, claimed the building was dusty and still had holes in its floor.

A St Columba"s parent told the Tele: 'We were invited to see Greenock High and we were shocked at the condition it is in.

'It was a disgusting mess. There was dust everywhere, as well as holes in floors and walls.

'The home economics department was particularly bad, considering children will have to cook in there.'

The St Columba"s pupils are being switched to Greenock High as part of changes which will see them go to a refurbished Gourock High in four years" time.

Inverclyde"s education convener, Councillor Iain McKenzie, has pledged the school

building will be in a much

better condition by the time children arrive on Monday.

He said big improvements had been made to the condition of the school since the

parents" visit last week.

Councillor McKenzie told the Tele: 'We invited all the

parents in to reassure them we are working hard to get the school into a proper condition for the education of their children.

'What the parents saw was a work in progress.

'The home economics department is being reconfigured, for example, so there is a lot of work going on there.'

But he added: 'We have to remember this is temporary accommodation.

'The pupils will be moving

on in four years to Gourock High, where we have allocated £17.5 million for it to be upgraded.'

Gourock High is to be merged with Greenock Academy on the St Columba"s site.

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This article appeared in Greenock Telegraph 18 Jun 09

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