The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune News Editor

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE school where six-year-old Vernal “Zion” Williams was fatally struck by a swing set last week is not registered with the National Accreditation and Equivalency Council of The Bahamas (NAECOB), raising questions about oversight in the private school sector.

NAECOB was established in 2006 to register and accredit all educational institutions in The Bahamas. Registration is meant to ensure minimum standards are met, with institutions required to apply for approval before offering programmes or presenting themselves as recognised schools.

Caring Hands Academy, where the tragedy occurred during lunch break last Friday, does not appear on NAECOB’s list of registered institutions. Zion’s mother, Cardia Williams, has since called for more frequent inspections of school playgrounds.

The Education Act separately requires independent schools to be entered in the official register of schools maintained by the Director of Education. The law makes it an offence to operate an independent school that is not registered, and provides that only registered schools enjoy the rights and recognition that come with legal status. Officials did not say yesterday whether the school is registered under that law.

Cleveland Rolle, operator of Creative Kids Craft and Woodworking Ltd and the only licensed playground contractor in the country, told The Tribune this week that the swing set that collapsed appeared not to have been properly installed.

The principal of Caring Hands Academy declined to be interviewed yesterday but showed a reporter what she said was a business licence. “All my documentation on my wall,” she said. “I have nothing to say to any reporter.”