“All we just heard is the teachers heard about smoke coming from the roof and started evacuating the children,” he noted. He told reporters at the scene that it is too early to determine the cause of the fire.

According to the Minister, he began receiving messages and calls about the incident just after 8:00hrs.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has already commenced looking at venues to accommodate students preparing to write the upcoming National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand told reporters that the Ministry is offering “full support in terms of placing these children, getting the Grade Six children, ensuring they are comfortable and seated, making sure the CSEC children are also provided for. As I speak, the exams division is looking at two places to make that determination.”

“The Government will support fully, as you know we treat our private school and our private school children the same way we treat our secondary schools, for every intent and purpose,” she added.

Manickchand said Mae’s School has contributed significantly to the country and has always been a school “we can count on”.