UNEASINESS loomed at Oberlin High School on Monday as parents voiced concerns for their children’s well-being following last week’s episode of students collapsing during morning worship.

During devotion on Monday, students and parents were addressed by Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams and her team who reassured that school had returned to normal.

Approximately 1,200 students retuned to classes, an increase from fewer than 100 who turned up last Thursday and Friday after students fainted during devotion last Wednesday morning.

But some disgruntled parents, following Monday’s devotion, called for days of prayer and in-person parent-teacher association (PTA) meetings as they were of the view that the issue was not properly addressed.

“I am not 100 per cent but as the education minister said, she will take it day by day so we just keep opening our eyes to see what’s going on. If mi nuh see weh fi gwaan, mi a come back down here so because we cyaa have a school a run dem way deh. The school need prayer,” said Natasha Morrison Xyminis who was among several parents engaged in an impromptu meeting with the education minister after the devotion, to express their concerns.

“At the same time, we still haffi gwaan give out our prayer and cover our children because we want the best for them,” added Morrison Xyminis, whose child is in grade 11.

Keshema Baxter, whose children are in grades 7 and 9, said she had to accompany them to school as her daughter had admitted being fearful.

“I am still nervous, even my daughter is still nervous. She was saying she is not comfortable, that’s why I told her I was coming with her this morning. She is still afraid after everything that has happened. After all that has happened, everybody should have come together and pray,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Expressing a similar concern, Andrea White, whose child is in grade 11, said “I pray to God that we don’t just talk, but as a body come together and ensure there is constant prayer [every] day.”

Meanwhile, parent of a grade 8 student Chrishana Richards called for face-to-face PTA meetings, as she noted that there are many other issues to be addressed.

“There are a lot more things that need to be discussed which will need an in-person PTA. You can’t be having PTA over Zoom, where you have over 1,000 kids coming here. Sometimes you are on the Zoom platform and you can’t even communicate properly. We need to have a general PTA in the auditorium. Also, we don’t need a day of prayer – we need a week,” she said.

Minister Williams said devotions will be held in small groups for the rest of the school term as a lot of students are still reeling from the events at last week’s mass devotion.

“In light of what happened last week I think it is best for us at this time to be simple in what we do, at least for the end of the term. Simple devotions, no mass devotions. In fact, I would encourage that devotions be held in classrooms rather than in a mass way because children are going through what they are not yet understanding,” Williams said.

“Let’s take it a step at a time. Once the children have gone through counselling, understand their emotions and get their questions answered, then we can take a few more steps,” she suggested.

In a press release the United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, which owns the school, said the board and administration are cooperating with the education ministry’s probe of the incident.

“We want to reassure parents and guardians that every effort is being made to return normalcy to the school in the shortest possible time. It is our hope that the teaching and learning process can continue in an environment conducive to such and where the safety of all students is guaranteed. We are playing our part to accomplish this in collaboration with the school’s management,” the church said.