MORUKA residents are happy to see a gradual return to normalcy after the mystery illness hit scores of students at Santa Rosa Secondary School.

But concerns have been raised over the students’ performance in the last two terms.

The Headmaster, Mr. Glynn De La Cruz, concurred that the sickness caused trouble in the first and second part of those school year terms.

He said, in the second term, the pass rate was 45 per cent and about 50 students have not returned to classes and may have become dropouts.

To deal with this, De La Cruz said use was made of ‘primary tops’, classes in primary schools that offer some tuition at secondary level.

In addition, some transfers were also granted at the request of parents.

“The fact that these students may be depriving themselves of an education is a major concern but we are working with them to try to ensure that this does not happen,” he assured.

De La Cruz said, while the school administration is moving to get the issue resolved and trying to acquiesce to the parents’ requests, it may not be the ideal resolution.

He noted that many of the transfers will increase education costs but the school is attempting to go forward.

De La Cruz said, although the effects of this final term in the school year were felt, they were not as bad as in the second term.

Seventy-two candidates sat Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) tests in this last term and 15 were girls directly affected by the mysterious ailment.

They took Human and Social Biology last Friday and the end of term saw a good turnout of the number on roll, which was a welcome sight after having recorded a low rate in the previous term.

De La Cruz expressed hope that the calm will prevail as 130 more candidates are registered to sit the National Third Form examinations next week.

The affliction, again plaguing Santa Rosa Mission community, resurfaced, after it first struck three years ago and has since affected 67 girls from the school, between the ages of 13 and 18 years of age.

Tests done by health personnel were unsuccessful in ascertaining the cause, with no obvious genetic or other links, nor long-term physical consequences.