Rehabilitation works yet to commence at Mortice Primary
– regional officers visit school
By Shemuel Fanfair
following reports of deplorable conditions at the Mortice Primary School in Mahaicony, Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice), regional officials have promised parents that the situation will be rectified.
Guyana Times has learnt that the officials, having seen the report about the deplorable condition at the school published in this newspaper, visited the school on Monday where they reportedly said works would “soon start”.
While these works were slated to commence on Wednesday, this publication was told that nothing has begun.
The dangling wires as seen on May 6
One parent revealed that the non-functioning toilet facilities remain the same.
However, the students of the Mortice Nursery School have been transferred to the Mortice Primary School building. Previously, the 23 students attended classes and consumed their meals at the bottom of the primary school in an environment which was not enclosed.
Guyana Times was told that the second year nursery school students are now being housed in the primary school’s library while the first year students are being accommodated within the primary school.
Efforts to contact the Regional Education Officer on Wednesday to determine when the repair works will commence proved futile.
Officials who visited the schools on Monday included Regional Chairman Vickchand Ramphal, the Regional Executive Officer Roderick Edinboro and an Engineer who was on site to assess the rehabilitation works.
On Friday last, this newspaper published an article highlighting the conditions at the school which included hanging electrical wires with accompanying sockets for fluorescent lights at various sections of the facility.
It was reported that operatives of the pest control department had removed the internal ceiling of the school after a section “caved in” due to mounting bat remains. Reports also stated that bat dung and dead bats were removed from the school over a month ago and the regional administration had requested that the REO have the ceiling repaired.
This newspaper was also informed that some of the parents complained of the lingering scent which drove them to clean up some of the dirt, as they were concerned about the health of the children. Many students have missed classes since parents opted not to send them to school.
With regards to the non-functioning toilet facilities, this publication was told that cleaners would have to fetch buckets of water from the neighbour’s yard to flush the toilets. Guyana Times was also told that “the children can’t use the toilets because as soon as they enter, the live wire is there.”
