“Hands-on approach” needed in cleaning schools – Region 10 Councillor

In light of numerous complaints surrounding the effective execution of the cleaning of school compounds across Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), Councillor Charles Sampson has called on the Region’s Education Committee to take a more “hands-on approach” to the issue. Sampson alluded that as a result of the ineffectiveness of the approach to cleaning areas around schools, there has been various complaints about the sightings of snakes and other reptiles. Addressing Regional Officials at the recently held statutory meeting of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), Sampson said it is his hope that the schools move towards the prospect of a clean and green environment.

“It is my view that a lot of issues that we would have discussed in the past and even over the past period of this RDC have not been taken seriously. Either they’re not been taken seriously or they are not being dealt with in a way that is beneficial to this Region. What we have found is that the issue of the cleaning of schools is one that is not so nice. In Linden, the cleaning of schools is not properly done. It is not being done in a systematic way,” he said.
The Councillor further slammed the appearance of school compounds across the Region, noting that the approach to cleaning the compounds is not being taken seriously.
“Why are we getting problems? Why are the compounds not being cleaned? I’m saying we need to put a system in place. Even if we have to give people contracts on a yearly basis. We have to have a proper system in place. We don’t have that,” Sampson continued.
He added that if the Council is going to put an effective system in place, it must be aware of costs. He urged further that cleaning jobs must also be inspected to ensure that the work is properly executed. He noted that there is usually a last-minute rush to clean school compounds, but urged education administrators to desist from this practice.
“Not when school near open you rushing to do it. If we do it on a monthly, bi-weekly or six-weekly basis, you ain’t got to rush when school open. It will always be clean and there will be fewer complaints coming from the schools about snakes… We want to see our schools in the Region look like schools, not a set of bush and grass,” Sampson stressed.
Additionally, he noted that the Education Committee of the RDC must play a major role when cleaning contracts are awarded, and the Council must be able to award those contracts based on reliability. As such, he noted that the Education Department, which is presently responsible for the task, must focus more on education delivery.
In response to the issues, Regional Chairman Renis Morian said he wants his administration to pay keen attention to the work of handymen. He noted that based on his own observation, handymen are not keen on performing their duties effectively and pointed out that this is not only an issue schools, but administrative buildings as well. He further called on the Region’s Education Department to get rid of obsolete equipment, chairs and benches from within school compounds. Morian further urged that such issues be emphasised at monthly head teachers meetings and for all to do their part and lend support where needed.