REO was told of Mortice schools’ situation – Regional Chairman

…contract for works finally awarded

Regional Executive Officer of Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) Roderick Edinboro was told of the deplorable conditions at the Mortice Primary and Nursery schools since early in April.
This is according to Region Five Chairman Vickchand Ramphal who told Guyana Times Saturday that he had told the REO of the state of the two schools and had requested emergency works be done.
“I informed the REO April 8 on the issue for emergency works to be carried out immediately and up to now nothing has been done,” he related. He also confirmed that he had visited the facilities to assess the situation after the report had been made.
Guyana Times was told that a contract was awarded for the rehabilitation and it was suggested that works will commence shortly.
Meanwhile, parents of students at the two schools are eagerly awaiting these works which will facilitate their children being educated under suitable conditions. During a visit to the area on Thursday, Guyana Times was shown hanging electrical wires and light sockets while the lavatories of both schools remained is a non-functional state.

This publication was shown evidence of structural damage to various sections of the building which had occurred some weeks ago and which was said to be a result of soil erosion by way of stagnant water on a vacant land east of the school.
“The water that is so close to the building actually pulled the soil [and] the whole back section [and beam] moved an inch-and-a-half to 2 inches,” one man said.
The top floor of the building is principally the Primary School while the bottom was designed to house nursery students but now both departments are stationed on the same upper flat. It was mounting bat infestation that caused a section of the Nursery school’s ceiling to collapse. The stench and unsanitary conditions led teachers to take the 23 early nursery students outside where they attended classes and even consumed meals in an area that is not enclosed.
After an article was published by this newspaper on May 7, 2016 a team of regional officials met with the school’s officials and parents, who were assured that construction and rehabilitation would “soon start”.
Guyana Times had also reported that cleaners had to appeal to neighbours constantly for water to flush toilets. These cleaners have been fetching the water themselves, even though there were two black tanks in the yard that were almost empty.
Among the officials who had visited the schools on Monday last were the Regional Chairman, the Regional Executive Officer, Regional Education Officer, and an engineer who assessed the rehabilitation needs.