TEACHERS are back out, at least in schools that are open, said Davanand Sinanan, first vice-president of the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA).

Last week Thursday and Friday, teachers from across the country stayed home, adhering to TTUTA's call for them to "rest and reflect" on the state of ongoing negotiations between the union and the Chief Personnel Officer (CPO).

"As far as I know, all the teachers are back out and everything has retuned to normal...well as normal as it can be," he said.

Sinanan added that there were several schools that were yet to be opened, including the School for the Blind, Malick Secondary School, Malabar RC Primary School and Palo Seco Secondary School.

"The Santa Flora Government Primary is in the process of being relocated to the Petrotrin compound where the Palo Seco Primary used to be housed when their school was being built. We also understand that the San Fernando Boys RC is sharing with St Paul's Anglican while that school is being worked on. We are not sure about the exact arrangements. We are also not too sure about what's happening at La Fillette Primary, but that school was closed when the term started," he said.

However, according to the Ministry of Education, it is awaiting the results of the testing done by the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute on Palo Seco Secondary.

Parents of pupils attending the Palo Seco school are keeping their children home until a mystery fungus, which appeared to be spreading throughout the compound, has been taken care of as they claimed it was making the children and teachers ill.

"We have not received those results yet, but as soon as we do, we will be able to say more. However, there is a possibility that the students could be relocated until the issue is resolved so we are working on that," explained communications officer at the Ministry, Yolanda Morales-Carvalho.

As for Malick Secondary, Morales-Carvalho said the school is expected to reopen tomorrow.

Last month, a section of the school was destroyed in an electrical fire.

Meanwhile, Morales-Carvalho said repairs are being done on the other schools and they are expected to be reopened soon.