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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 1983
MR HAYE SAID WHEN THE INFORMATION FROM THESE VARIOUS SOURCES CLEARLY INDICATED DANGEROUS WEATHER AND FLOODING, OR DISRUPTION OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT, IT WAS EASY TO COME TO THE DECISION TO CLOSE SCHOOLS.
+BUT IF THERE IS NO INDICATION OF THE INTENSITY OR LIKELY DURATION OF HEAVY RAIN, AND WHEN ROAD AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT CONDITIONS ARE REPORTED TO BE NORMAL. JUDGEMENT IS TO BE EXERCISED AND A DECISION IS USUALLY TAKEN TO OPEN SCHOOLS BUT THAT PARENTS SHOULD BE ASKED TO USE THE IR DISCRETION IN SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL HAVING REGARD TO WEATHER, ROAD AND TRANSPORT CONDITIONS
IN THE IR PARTICULAR LOCALITY.
+IF SUBSEQUENTLY THERE IS A SUDDEN DETERIORATION OF THE WEATHER WITH FLOODING AND DISRUPTION OF ROAD TRAFFIC, THOUGHT MUST BE GIVEN TO WHETHER OR NOT SCHOOLS SHOULD REMAIN OPEN, AND HERE JUDGEMENT MUST AGAIN BE EXERCISED WITH THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN A PARAMOUNT CONSIDERATION, MR HAYE SAID.
IN THIS RESPECT, MR HAYE SAID SCHOOL AUTHORITIES WERE EXPECTED TO PLAY A RESPONSIBLE ROLE IN SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN WHO MIGHT HAVE BRAVED THE WEATHER TO GO TO SCHOOL, AND THIS MIGHT TAKE THE FORM OF SIMPLY WAITING FOR A LULL IN THE WEATHER BEFORE RELEASING THEM TO THE CUSTODY OF PARENTS, SCHOOL OR PUBLIC TRANSPORT.
ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT WOULD ALSO BE ISSUED AT 11 AM TO GUIDE PARENTS OF CHILDREN WHO ATTEND AFTERNOON SESSION SCHOOLS, HE ADDED.
HE STRESSED THAT +CARDINAL TO THE DEPARTMENT'S DECISION-MAKING PROCESS MUST BE THE ADEQUACY OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE WEATHER AND ROAD AND TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS- BUT GIVEN THE VARIABILITY OF LOCAL CIRCUMSTANCE THERE HAS TO BE DEPENDENCE ON INDIVIDUAL OBSERVATION OF LOCAL CONDITIONS.+
REFERRING TO JUNE 17, WHEN SUDDEN HEAVY RAINS AND FLOODING OCCURRED, MR HAYE SAID HE RECEIVED NO INDICATION OF THE INTENSITY OR LIKELY DURATION OF HEAVY RAINS AT 5.30 THAT MORNING, AND ROAD AND PUBLIC TRANSPORT CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED TO BE NORMAL.
+ IT WAS THEREFORE DECIDED THAT SCHOOLS WOULD OPEN AS USUAL BUT THAT PARENTS SHOULD BE REMINDED TO USE THEIR DISCRETION IN SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL HAVING REGARD TO LOCAL WEATHER, ROAD AND TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS.
/+INFORMATION