The threat of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is the latest worry relating to the ongoing water crisis, which began to severely affect schools in the Corporate Area recently.

Schools such as Vauxhall High, Charlie Smith High, Greenwich All-Age and St Andrew Technical have implemented methods to counter the shortage.

Yesterday, the cook employed at Greenwich All-Age had to report for work earlier than normal to counter a possible restriction later in the day.

Vice-principal Patricia Bowen explained that the water pressure was low and as such, the school was dismissed at 2 p.m., half an hour earlier than normal.

According to Bowen, students in the fourth grade would be sitting examinations come next week, and a lack of water could cause a disruption.

"The bathroom issue is also a major concern, with the whole (hand) foot and mouth disease issue. We're trying our best to cut out any risks," she said.

rescheduled

Principal of Charlie Smith High, Dennis Kelly, said he already had to reschedule exams.

Kelly also spoke with concern about HFMD and said water trucks had been summoned to the school on two occasions to facilitate the flushing of toilets.

"The students have to hand-flush the toilets. A sanitary inspector visited the school on Thursday and we're okay, but let's keep our fingers crossed. You know the (hand) foot and mouth thing is also an issue," he said. Students have been urged to take their own drinking water to school.

Noel Brackenridge, vice-principal of Vauxhall, said while things were normal now, the school would have no choice but to end classes early, as they had to on Wednesday, if the water problems persisted.

Director of Communications at the Ministry of Education, Colin Blair, said the ministry was tweaking its drought-response plan, which would be made public soon. He said the ministry had an agreement in place with the National Water Commission to truck water to schools that needed it.

Blair said schools had already developed their own responses, such as advising students to take drinking water to school, staggering hours to ensure that water was used evenly, and using disposable plates instead of those that required washing.