… as parents protest school closure
Within several days, the Ministry of Education on Brickdam has attracted protest action. On Tuesday, parents and supporters of students from St. John’s Secondary School at Leonora, West Coast Demerara, were protesting the closure of the school for the past two years by the Region Three administration.
Protestors outside Ministry of Education on Tuesday.
The school specializes in teaching students who are slow learners. The Region Three administration cited an overhanging ‘beam’ for the closure two years ago. Since then the students are being taught at the Den Amstel pavilion.
According to the protestors yesterday, the students were first taken out of the school almost three years ago, with promises that repairs would be effected. This has never occurred and the parents are fed up.
Anand, an AFC Regional Councilor from Region Three, said, “They said that there’s a beam that is causing a problem. They said they will do some work on it. But two years have passed, going onto three and no repairs have even commenced… The students were meanwhile moved to the Den Amstel pavilion. The Den Amstel pavilion is no place for school children; it’s a pavilion for sports.”
He stated that when it rains, the students are severely discomfited and are crying out to be allowed to go back to their school.
The Regional Councillor added that the matter was brought up at several meetings of the Regional Democratic Council, by AFC councillors and the promise was made that a new school would be built.
“Now elections time coming up and they (administration) are spending millions of dollars. I am asking them, as a councillor, why don’t they build a new school or renovate that school for the students?
“Manickchand says she cares. She only cares to give $10,000. She doesn’t care to give students comfort. So we are calling on the Ministry of Education to intervene.”
According to another protestor, it was discussed at a meeting with Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam, last year that St. John’s would be phased out and the students might find themselves being integrated into the normal school system.
“We do not want St. John’s to be phased out. We need St. John’s because it’s established and it caters for students who are slow learners. The administration needs the right attitude to look after these children. If they are put into secondary schools, they will not be able to perform as they should.”
Political activist, Frederick Kissoon, who was present at the protest, was vociferous in demanding that St. John’s students get back their school.
“I know what is going on in education. I’ve seen how my own workplace at University of Guyana has fallen down and is almost dying. And you draw the line where children’s education is concerned.”
“The children are in a dilapidated makeshift structure and when it rains, they get wet. This points to a heartless government. You just do not play with children’s education and that is the bottom line of national culture anywhere in the world.”
It was only on Monday that the Ministry of Education building on Brickdam attracted UG workers protesting among other things, government’s inaction in their industrial dispute.
Source: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2015/02/19/ministry-of-education-hit-by-further-protests/