Resident education officer needed along Berbice River – Education Committee Chairman

Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) Education Committee Chairman, Denise Belgrave has continued calls for a resident education officer to be stationed at Sub-Region 2 (communities along the Berbice River). Belgrave, who also serves as Chairman of the region’s Welfare Committee continued her plea during the hosting of this month’s statutory meeting of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC), noting that calls were being made by the Committee since 2015.
She noted that she was not in full support of officers being rotated, as is presently the case, since it was her belief that it would not give a true and proper reflection of what is happening in those schools. While there is presently an officer stationed within the sub-region, she said it came as a surprise to her since she was unfamiliar with the officer. These issues, she noted, were discussed at the Committee’s last meeting. “We need that to be looked at and we need a resident officer. I think it’s time. We’ve been asking for that since 2015, and we need a resident officer in Sub-Region 2. Not somebody who goes for one week and comes out,” Belgrave told members of the Council. She added that the Committee would have also discussed the system of rotation for officers in Sub-Region 2.
Additionally, speaking of other issues surrounding schools in Region 10, the Education Committee Chairman noted that there are complaints from head teachers regarding the quantity of “stocks” which are received on a quarterly basis, as she pointed out that there’s a shortage. She said during discussions, at a head teachers meeting, it was decided that there is need for supplies to be given by the RDC on a monthly basis instead of quarterly.
In response, the Regional Chairman asked the Regional Clerk of Council Orrin Gordon to look into the situation. “We need to have a standard distribution time system,” Morian pointed out. Belgrave also spoke of the issue surrounding proper accommodation for teachers as she stressed the need for the improvement of accommodation for teachers who travel from Linden to work in riverine areas. “… because if they are not comfortable, they wouldn’t be able to give of their best. We want that to be looked into very seriously,” Belgrave stated. In relation to welfare, she said the Committee is presently in discussion to have the home for abused women and children constructed in Linden.