Teachers Strike After Fire at Terrain Fayard College in Saint-André

Saint-André, Réunion — Teachers at Terrain Fayard College went on strike Monday, June 2, following a fire that severely damaged parts of the school during urban violence late last week. Despite the strike, students were welcomed at the school.

Teachers gathered outside the school at 7:30 a.m. to protest against the violence that led to the fire and urged parents to join them. The fire, which occurred between the night of Friday, May 30, and Saturday, May 31, destroyed the administrative offices and several classrooms.

The school’s principal, Patricia Sakot, reported that three or four classrooms were affected by the flames. Over the weekend, the school staff worked diligently to prepare for classes on Monday morning. “The damage is significant,” said Rostane Mehdi, the rector of the Academy of Réunion, who visited the site. He added that the administrative staff would need to temporarily relocate to other areas of the college while repairs are being made.

In response to the events, a support unit was established for students and staff. “We will support, listen, and help those who need it,” said Mehdi. He stressed the importance of safeguarding schools, saying, “Attacking a school is an assault on the Republic.”

All members of the school community are feeling the impact. On the night of the fire, the school’s receptionist alerted the principal to the presence of intruders and smoke in the building. “With an educational assistant, we entered the school to secure the receptionist,” Sakot recounted. “We saw flames engulfing the administrative area, and while we tried to use extinguishers, there were glass explosions. It was very dangerous, so we waited for the firefighters, who were delayed due to being attacked with stones in the neighborhood.”

Firefighters eventually reached the school to put out the fire, but the damage remains extensive. Cyrille Melchior, the president of the Department, announced that an assessment team has been appointed to create a plan for repairs. Additionally, security personnel have been stationed at the college over the weekend for protection.