North West Sec School fire: MoE to formulate plan to keep students, teachers engaged

— as 60% of building destroyed

Following the destruction by fire of the North West Secondary School on Saturday last, a team from the Education Ministry visited the Region to assess the extent of the damage caused by the fire and to put a system in place for the reopening of the school.

The team from the Central Ministry comprised of Chief Education Officer Dr Marcel Hutson, Deputy Chief Education Officer (AHED) Marti De Souza, Chief Schools Inspector Saddam Hussain, Coordinator of the Schools Board Secretariat Roopnarine Tewari, and Technical Facilitator Kerwin Jacobs.
Regional Education Officer Akbar Chindu and Education Officer Fareeda Jacobis also participated in the site visit and subsequent meetings.
On Sunday, a meeting was held with Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley, Regional Executive Officer Tikaram Bisesar and an engineer attached to the Region.
Dr Hutson noted that the Education Ministry considers schooling for the students of the North West Secondary as a top priority, and that the visit was being made to activate a plan of action that would be implemented to ensure students are meaningfully engaged.
Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley said over 60 percent of the building was destroyed. He added that the region is committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure all temporary sites are adequately equipped and operationalised to facilitate the teaching-learning process.

He added that this would be done while the process of renovating or constructing a new school building is expedited.
The MoE team also met with the senior leadership team of the school on Sunday, while on Monday separate meetings were held with the teachers of the school and the parents of the students, at the Mabaruma Primary School.
At both meetings, Dr Hutson underscored the effects of the destruction of the building, while noting the need to ensure learning continuity for the displaced students.
In addition, Headteacher (ag) Indra Chacon highlighted the drafted operational schedule to guide face-to-face interaction, while allowing parents and teachers to share their views. Based on feedback, all teachers and parents present were in support of the operational plan.
Some of the decisions taken following the meetings include the continued use of the dormitory, with a new entrance being created for safe access; Grade 10 teachers would work one additional hour in the morning and afternoon sessions, a designated area at the Learning Resource Centre will house the administrative section of the school, and each identified temporary site would be supervised by a senior member of staff.
It was reported that fire reportedly erupted at the educational facility between 22:10h on Saturday and 01:45h on Sunday.
The affected building, a two-storey wooden-and-concrete structure measuring about 150 feet by 200 feet, consisted of an auditorium, six classrooms and a home economics department. The rooms had an undisclosed amount of stationery besides desks and benches, chalk boards, computers, laboratory equipment, kitchen utensils and other items.
Enquiries disclosed that a security guard of Baranobo Hill, Mabaruma was in his guard hut on his cellular phone when he heard three loud explosions. The sounds emanated from a room on the second floor of the eastern side of the building.
Checks were made, and he observed the room engulfed in flames. The man immediately made his way to the Mabaruma Police Station and lodged a report.
On arrival of the Fire Service on scene, and with assistance from members of the Joint Services and the public, the fire was extinguished – but most of the building, along with the aforementioned articles, was damaged.