Teachers, students of Harmony Secondary School attacked by ‘gang’

Harmony Secondary School, located in Wismar, Linden, has been shaken by a recent attack carried out by armed teenagers allegedly belonging to a gang. The incident has left both teachers and students afraid for their safety.

According to reports reaching Guyana Times, the teenagers stormed into the school armed with scissors, wood, and a knife, and attacked a student who was unable to identify another student involved in a fight with one of the alleged gang members.
The group had apparently come to the school seeking retaliation for the altercation.
As the gang members rampaged through the school, they kicked open doors and assaulted a teacher, leaving her bleeding. Fearing for their lives, other staff members locked themselves in a room until Police and officials from the Department of Education arrived on the scene.
“These guys ran into the school, ran past the security, and kicked open the door that is close to the auditorium. The teen then hit one of my colleagues in her face which caused her to [bleed],” one teacher related.
This publication was also informed that as a result of the attack, one child is reportedly hospitalised.

This is not the first attack at Harmony Secondary School according to reports, and as a result, teachers and parents are demanding better security measures.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday morning, teachers and parents took to the streets with placards, calling for a Police officer to be stationed at the school to prevent future attacks.
One parent on the scene of the protest said that the attack on teachers needs to stop. He further called for the “bullies” to be immediately arrested.

“Bullyism should never occur in a school… it must always be a safe environment. Teachers are being harassed by parents, students are being harassed by neighbourhood gangs… we cannot sit back and allow this to become the new normal. We have to stand up against it,” the parent said.
Meanwhile, another parent condemned the act by saying that more abled-bodied security guards are needed in schools around Guyana.
“We need all officials, we need the Ministry, we need community activists…we need our religious bodies to let us come together and work. I believe that all schools need proper security. We need persons we are able and capable, are trained and can defend.”
“We have a lot of female security guards and they are not able to keep off a gang. Imagine the gang kicking down the gate, five, six, seven of them and you have one female security guard in the hut,” they said.
Meanwhile, Police officials have confirmed that the incident is currently under investigation.