Molenbeek school closed due to rats and cockroaches

A primary school in Molenbeek has been closed until further notice due to an infestation of cockroaches and rats.

Municipal primary school n°9 in Molenbeek did not open on Monday due to the infestation, Bruzz reports, with parents and teachers having long complained about deplorable conditions.

One parent said the issue has been going on for weeks, and that mould is another concern.

“It has become unliveable,” the parent said. “Several teachers and students have already found cockroaches in their backpacks or coats when they returned home after school.”

An initial intervention took place in September, but parents and staff say it did little to help.

A group of teachers decided to organise a small protest action at the school last week to denounce the situation.

The educational authorities said the protest, the pests, and the fact that some of the 350 pupils were already staying home as a result were all factors in deciding to close the school. Children who did not stay home were sent to a nearby sports hall with teachers present.

“Meanwhile, we are taking the opportunity to commission an epidemiological study,” a school administrator said. “I understand the teachers are very worried. We will take the situation in hand.”

According to municipal councillor Ahmed El Khannouss, this is not an isolated case: “Several municipal schools are in bad shape because the municipality simply lacks resources.”

One parent told RTBF that they are trying to raise awareness among parents, “but we're in an area where a lot of parents don't speak the language, so it's quite complicated. There's no parents' association, but I'd be one of the first to get involved.”

Mayor Catherine Moureaux (PS) said she was aware of the issue.

“A teacher alerted us because she found cockroaches in her home, and we also found some in the school,” Moureaux said.

“We're currently carrying out a double epidemiological investigation to identify whether we have a problem with the building or whether we have a problem with a child who may have brought some from home. We're currently investigating what's going on here.”

The mayor denied, however, that there was any problem with rodents.

“There were rodents in the past, but the problem has now been solved,” said Moureaux, adding that she was also disappointed by the incident, in part because €24 million has been invested over the legislature to improve day-to-day life in schools and this school in particular has brand new sanitary facilities.