Parents, guardians and students yesterday protested outside the offices of the Education Ministry to highlight non-placement at President’s College as well as the “deplorable” state of the school.
Parents and guardians of students from Region Six and the upper areas of Region Four protested the non-placement of their children, even though they were awarded scores higher than that required for placement at the school.
The protest was led by the Chairman of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Abdul Wahid Wickham, who told Stabroek News that his daughter, born and raised in Golden Grove, was placed at the Saint Stanislaus College, Georgetown. He said that he informed officers at the Placement Unit of the Ministry of Education that it was inconvenient for his daughter to travel to Georgetown every day. However, he was appalled at the officer’s response when he was told that there was nothing that could be done and that he “should pray” that someone drops out of President’s College.
Wickham’s plight was one of the cases heard by the Minister of Education yesterday.
Another guardian, Carol Fraser, of Alness Village, Corentyne pointed out that her grandson, Shemron Gittens, worked hard because his desire was to attend President’s College. His many hours of study were not in vain, since he scored 526 marks and gained a place at The Bishops’ High School. She said that since they have no relatives in Georgetown with whom the child can
reside, she approached the Ministry of Education with her plight. Unfortunately, she was informed that the only alternative was for him to attend a school in his home village, which is of a much lower standard than The Bishops’ High School. Fraser refused the offer, citing unfairness to her grandson, whom she explained worked hard to secure the required grade to gain entry to President’s College.
Meanwhile, Dennis English, Senior Industrial Relations Officer of the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), was also a part of the protest. The reason for his presence, he explained, was to give support to the non-teaching staff of the institution that is represented by the union.
English explained that he received many complaints about the horrible physical conditions of the school, and his union had penned a letter to the Minister of Education. He stated that although copies of the letter were sent to President Bharrat Jagdeo, Chairman of the school’s Board of Directors David De Groot, the Director of President’s College and Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr. Roger Luncheon, there was no reply.
The letter, he informed, outlined the areas of concern, including the stench from animal waste, a shortage of cleaners and handy men, the leaky roof, the deplorable state of the bathroom facilities, and the irregular water supply.
Upon observing the protesters outside his office, Minister Shaik Baksh requested a meeting with all the members. After the meeting, Wickham stated that the minister acknowledged that all the placement cases he heard were genuine and as such assured the parents that the ministry will do its best to accommodate all the students present.
He added that with regard to the condition of the school, on Friday a meeting will be held with members of the PTA executive and a small contingent from the GPSU to discuss and possibly rectify that matter.
The parents and guardians said after the meeting that their efforts were not in vain.
Meanwhile, when contacted De Groot stated that matters pertaining to the college are always dealt with as a matter of urgency by the Board, since it always seeks to ensure the overall smooth running of the institution.
He added that he was not informed of the protest and as such could not comment on it.
