Dear Editor,
In many hinterland schools of Guyana there is one main issue affecting our standard of education and that is our students dropping out of secondary schools.
In some instances lack of finance causes our young boys to leave school to pursue logging or mining in the interior, while our young girls stay home to assist their parents with household chores. For the first time in my community a student has reached fifth form at the Aurora Secondary School. Though this can be seen as an achievement, it tells the story that all our former students have dropped out of secondary schools because of one reason or another. In fact none has gone beyond Form 3.
Recently the Department of Education Region 2 and the Regional Democratic Council have embarked on a drive to get all those students who have dropped out of school back in school with urgency.
It is this drive that made us realize that dozens of children were never even registered by their parents. This initiative is working, since previously I had only fourteen pupils attending Aurora and now that number has risen to 21 students. There are now only two more students that need to get on board for the full quota to be complete. Thanks must be expressed to our hardworking Regional Education Officer, Mr Ghir Rambarran and headmistress of Aurora Secondary school Ms Acklima Pierce for ensuring that our hinterland students return to school. All the lake schools of Capoey, Mainstay, Tapakuma, Masha-bo and even schools from the Pomeroon will see students benefiting from the new dormitory facilities that will be opened soon. We the staff of the Mashabo Primary School are truly grateful and we know that a good education is the only key to a successful future.
We are happy and take our hats off to all those parents who have heeded the call in getting their children back to school.
Yours faithfully,
Quado Vancooten
Headmaster,
Mashabo Primary
School
