Dear Editor,
Please allow me a space in your newspaper to highlight some of my concerns relating to an incident at Canje Secondary School. The incident involved the alleged pushing of a student over the stairway of the school. The name of the student is Joshua Lionel. The student was hospitalised and now suffers from a broken femur, shoulder and injuries to the hip. Some details of the incident were related in Guyana Times and also made the local news on the Berbice television stations.
My first concern on the incident is the manner in which the entire matter was dealt with. The parents in no uncertain terms said that the student was pushed over the rails by another student. This information was only given to the parents after the doctors questioned the child. The parents claimed that they were lied to by the teachers. To my amazement, no press release was given to the public by the head teacher of the said school or by any official of the Education Ministry in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne).
My second concern is the attitude of the head teacher towards the parents of this child. Her behaviour is despicable and really uncalled for. This is a very tender situation and she only made it worse by shouting and paying little attention to the matter. She really doesn’t know what the poor parents are going through and if she had children of her own, then she would have behaved differently.
I was very unlucky and unfortunate to encounter her on two occasions. The first was in relation to a school tour that my child was on. I of course had a little thing to say to her. The next was when I visited the school during a lunch period to seek some important information. I had to wait nearly an hour. Her office was closed and there was loud commotion. Perhaps they were praying because I heard mentions of the good saviour’s name Jesus Christ. The bell was rung to end the break and they prolonged the prayer service for a while. The door suddenly burst open and out poured the congregation and then I heard the familiar barking language of the head teacher again. She was shouting and accusing a number of people. This happened after a prayer meeting. Of course she didn’t noticed me as yet. I calmly refrained from asking for the information. I pray that I don’t see her again.
My third concern is the attitude of the teachers. They are not hesitant in defending the head teacher, although several male and a couple of senior female teachers were very straightforward, and in my view, gave a sound view on the errant ways of the head teacher and the Ministry officials. On the other hand, there is a very prominent religious leader who is a member of staff at the school. When I sought to have clarity on the alleged pushing incident, he quickly tried to defend the school. I told him he should fear the god he is serving and be fair. He mentioned that he personally solicited help from members of the community towards aiding the injured child.
I have had the opportunity to encounter this teacher on numerous occasions. He is normally cool and kind and is a likeable character who would always offer an encouraging word of advice. His position on this incident though has left me somewhat baffled. Some of the teachers seem to be hesitant in giving information.
My fourth concern is the claim made by the mother that no one from the school or the Ministry has visited her or the child. This is totally embarrassing. I understand that a sum of thirty-two thousand dollars was given to the parents as initial help. I have personally donated money to the school and many others in the community have done likewise. I can’t understand why the head teacher can’t see it fit to get the remaining funds to the parents. Probably she wants the parents to go to the school and collect it. Come on head teacher, you have embarrassed the parents enough. Are you calling them to the school so that you and your cronies can eat them alive? Swallow your pride and go and give them the money that the members of society have donated. It’s not yours and you should not keep it.
My final concern dear editor would come in the form of some questions. These questions I hope can be answered by the relevant authorities, whoever they are.
Has anybody tried counselling the injured student and the other student who allegedly did the pushing?
What can the Ministry do to assist the child, since the incident happened on the school’s premises?
Do the regional engineers regularly check the school for health and safety issues?
Why haven’t any officials from the Ministry or any teacher from the school visited the child?
What will happen to the student that allegedly pushed Joshua Lionel over the rails?
Will the head teacher behave in such a way if something like this happens again?
Sincerely,
Name and address
withheld
