Government, over two years ago, tore down the old Endeavour (East Leguan) Primary School and constructed a new building in its place. Now, despite several complaints from teachers and parents, the Education Ministry is yet to outfit this new edifice with electricity and proper drainage.
When this publication visited the school, it was observed that the building remains unpainted, and there are no connections to facilitate the provision of electricity. Parents complain that the lack of electricity hampers the learning capabilities of the students, since they are often in heated classrooms that make them uneasy.
“I am a big woman, and I can’t stand the heat for a long time. When the place is hot I does come outside and sit down and get some breeze; so, just imagine them small-small children suffering in there for so long,” a parent, Vidya (only name given), told Guyana Times.
She said she has two children attending the school and they would complain about
The Leguan East Primary School
the heat.
A teacher who spoke with this publication said several complaints have been made to the Region Three Department of Education, (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) but nothing has been done to assist them.
The teacher related that the school’s location makes it not afforded a lot of breeze, and this makes concentration hard for the students, especially during afternoon hours.
“You have to dress in your suit and (look) appropriate for school, because when the ministry people come and you are not dressed properly, then it’s a whole other problem; but we have to suffer here. (There is) no current, so we (cannot) get some fans for us and the students, or nothing. The trees does block off the breeze, and some days we boiling in here. We does have to take the children outside sometimes, because that is how we does feel,” the teacher explained.
The Education Ministry or the Regional Administration is being called upon to ensure that the building is outfitted with electricity prior to the commencement of the new school year in September 2018.
In addition, the parents have complained that whenever it rains, the water runs off the gutters into the school yard, making the assembly area inaccessible. The pipes all lead from the gutters into the yard, with no drain in sight to take off the water.
“Education is very important, because, without education, nobody will want to employ you. So education is the gateway, and believe me,” those were the words of President David Granger, delivered in Region One a few months ago. However, the residents of Leguan Island feel they are being dealt a short hand when it comes to educating their children.
A few months after taking office, President Granger had said there are troubling disparities in education attainment between the coastland and the hinterland, and between the schools in Georgetown and the rest of the coastland. He had said education delivery in Guyana is akin to ‘apartness,’ which is another form of ‘apartheid’ and “we must avoid and avert the danger of children being separated along lines of gender, social class, or geographical location.”
But that level of apartness still remains, since all of the schools, with the exception of the Leguan East Primary, are painted; have proper drainage; and, most importantly, are outfitted with electricity.
The teacher told this publication that the Education Ministry is pushing for the inclusion of ICT in the schools’ curriculum, but questioned how that is possible, since the electricity to power computers and other ICT devices is non-existent.
Guyana Times made contact with the Regional Administration of Region Three, and it was indicated that the answers to the questions posed would be provided. However, this never materialised. Efforts to contact Education Minister Nicolette Henry proved futile. (Lakhram Bhagirat)
