All they want for Christmas is a new floor. But despite numerous reports to the authorities about the dust problems affecting the Aishalton Primary school, nothing has been done and parents have vowed to keep their children at home when school re-opens next year if the problem is not fixed by then.
Chairman of Region Nine, Clarindo Lucas says that the regional administration is working on the problem. “The Administration is going to work on that”, said the chairman, when contacted by Stabroek News. He stated that the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) has made a rule that any renovations to be done to schools will be done during school holidays. “There is going to be work done on that school”, he emphasized acknowledging that he was aware of the problem.
A resident told this newspaper that the concrete flooring of the school was badly done resulting in dust rising from it on a daily basis. The school children have been affected and although the matter was reported to the authorities a number of times, nothing was done, Toshao of the village, Hildebrand James told Stabroek News. Over 200 students attend the school and on a daily basis they have to fetch water to sprinkle on the floor to keep the dust down.
James told Stabroek News on Tuesday that in May, the headmistress of the school, Clara Boston complained that the concrete flooring was not done right.
He said that on May 22 at a conference in St Ignatius he raised the matter with the Minister of Local Government and the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Nine. He said the response received was that the matter would have been looked at urgently. However, nothing was done.
In September, when school had re-opened, James said, Boston again raised the issue and stated that it was getting worse.
The village leader told this newspaper that he brought up the issue at the National Toshao’s Council meeting on October 15 and was advised to write to the Region Nine REO, the Regional Chairman, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs and the Office of the President and he did so. However, to date, nothing has been done, James said.
He revealed that on November 30, at a village meeting the issue was once again raised and parents made a decision that if nothing was done, they would not be sending their children to school when the term starts in January. “Some children, it’s affecting their health”, he stated adding that a few are suffering respiratory problems. He asserted that the school flooring needs to be refurbished and it should be done properly this time. The institution is the only primary school in the remote South Rupununi village.
When this newspaper contacted Lucas on Tuesday, he also stated that the RDC was holding its last statutory meeting for the year and at the time; the education committee was in session. He said that that issue is one that will be discussed and the committee will report on the findings and then he will know the position.
