Students of Wiruni Primary School in the Berbice River have not been able to attend school since the beginning of this term because of a shortage of teachers.
Parents told Stabroek News that the school had two teachers and one of them who is from Kwakwani, also in the Berbice River, has since returned to that area. The other teacher, they said, has refused to teach since she says that she cannot handle the 175 students of the school alone.
They said the students turned up for school on the first day of the term but were told by that teacher that she is waiting on the other tutor.
According to a woman who has six children attending the school, the students returned home and during last week they went to the school again. But when they got there the teacher told them that there is no school and that she is only there to open the building.
According to the parent, the students have to travel a far way by canoe and it is not fair that they have to be sent away.
She also said that the students need to be in school since they are missing out on a lot of work and soon they would have to start preparing for tests.
Contacted by Stabroek News, Regional Executive Officer of Region 10, Henry Rodney told this newspaper that the problem “is now brought to my attention.” Rodney said he was on leave and would be turning out to work on Monday. But he promised to call the Educa-tion Department “to have an intervention and remedy the situation.
A team would have to be sent in immediately.”
He noted that some schools in the riverain areas are over-staffed and teachers would have to be removed from those schools and placed at Wiruni.
The REO also pointed out that there were no teachers at the Aroaima School since the start of the term and the team would also be looking into that.
