Students at the Lusignan Nursery School including little Roberto Thomas who survived the January 26 massacre now have a building to call their own, 33 years after the school first opened.
Little Roberto cut the ribbon to commission the $14M school yesterday. Though the massacre was only mentioned in passing during the simple ceremony, those gathered offered words of encouragement to the Thomas family, which suffered the devastating blow of losing three members in the bloodbath. Roberto and another sibling were hospitalized but later released.
Crowded classrooms, unsanitary facilities and a poor water supply plagued the school for years but the community endured the conditions. It was during a Cabinet Outreach which included President Bharrat Jagdeo in 2006 that residents raised the issue of the nursery school and asked for a new school.
Head Teacher, Evelyn Kendall said yesterday that after the President gave his word the next step was securing a plot of land through the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC). The NDC later approved the land and a budgetary allocation was made the following year.
Construction began on the school last September and by year end the school was finished. According to Kendall, the community, students and teachers are grateful for the new building which comes with improved facilities.
“We waited 33 years for this day and now that it is here we are happy but this could not have been possible without the assistance of our then Regional Education Officer, Doodmattie Singh”, Kendall added.
Education Minister Shaik Baksh emphasized that parents must dedicate more time to their children’s education and work along with teachers in ensuring that the children progress. He said that the nursery level children require greater attention, adding that the foundation laid at that age is what shapes the development of children in education.
Baksh pointed out that government is moving to have every nursery school in the region in a dedicated building. Of the 58 nursery schools in Region Four, nine are without buildings of their own.
Shafdar Alli, Regional Executive Officer, Region Four stressed that the nursery school must be maintained by the community and urged parents to take a greater interest in what happens at the school during and after school hours.
Minister of Local Government, Kellawan Lall, who was also present at the opening announced the donation of a computer to the school, and pointed out that children must be introduced to the computer early in the education system.
The Lusignan Nursery School started out at a bottom house in the 1970s and moved around in the community for years. Previously it was part of the Primary School in the community. (Iana Seales)
