The Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) advises all students and other stakeholders that the End of Term Examinations for Term Three of the 2012-2013 academic year are proceeding as per schedule at both the Mon Repos and Essequibo campuses.
In a press release, the GSA said it had postponed the start of the examinations by one day, from Wednesday June 26 to Thursday June 27, after four students fell ill at its Mon Repos campus.
Around 10am Tuesday management received a report that a female student was in her room and was unresponsive. In keeping with standard operating procedures, the director of administration immediately responded to the report and the student, accompanied by the matron, was taken to the St Joseph Mercy Hospital, the school’s contracted health care provider. The student’s mother was also informed.
On examination, a physician found that the student’s vital signs, oxygen saturation and random blood sugar levels were all normal. “This led to a diagnosis of a panic attack/anxiety disorder being entertained by the physician, who decided to admit her to the hospital for observation and counselling and possibly psychiatric evaluation,” the GSA said. However, the student’s mother decided against her admission.
Subsequently, rumours began to spread that the student had been “demon possessed” that same evening. Three other students who fell ill that evening were taken to the same hospital for treatment. Two returned to the school that evening while the other one was taken home by her mother.
Students were also given the opportunity to leave the campus if they were uncomfortable and to return to write their examinations. They were also offered financial support to pay their transportation costs while the exams were pushed back by one day. Examinations started yesterday and will continue as scheduled.
