Dear Editor,
My friend’s daughter started the new school year today as a pupil of Berbice High School. I am happy for her, however very disappointed in a school policy. At lunch time the students are not allowed to leave for lunch. Their parents are advised to send their children to school with lunch. As much as this may be a good policy for those students who will walk about during the lunch break and maybe get themselves into trouble, it is nothing short of nonsense.
Parents who may have two or three children going to school have to wake up and prepare them for school and at the same time cook and maybe prepare themselves for work. We all know that this can be difficult at times; what about the children who may have to go by an aunt or uncle for lunch – how do they eat? What about the children who live in the environs of the school?
This amounts to the children being taught in a prison-like environment, one where their movements have been restricted and where it is much easier for the school to administer roll call. I wonder if the Minister of Education is aware of this policy and if so, could someone please state the reasons behind it.
Yours faithfully,
Karran Persaud
