Parents whose children attend the overcrowded Tuschen Primary School on the East Bank of Essequibo are complaining that grade two children are crammed into one classroom and teachers are almost always absent but school official deny the claims.
The concerned parents said they fear an impending drop in their children’s academic performance, blaming teachers’ absence in classrooms.
One father told Stabroek News that two grade two classes are forced to share one classroom. “They have three of them sitting on one bench to write,” he said, adding that he has seen a drop in his child’s performance.
“Children are dropping in their grades because they can’t concentrate… and they are putting several classes in one classroom,” another parent said. Parents also complained that teachers would not turn up for work and the children would be left unattended. “Nine thirty in morning I went to the school and there was no teacher in my child’s class,” the parent said.
One official at the school, however, stated that it was an assumption that the children are left abandoned in the absence of teachers. The official said that there is always a substitute teacher to work with the children in the absence of their class teacher.
“Teachers would ask for time off and we would accommodate them. We understand why the parents are worried but we are dealing with the issue and the ministry is aware that we are overcrowded. We are also accommodating the nursery school,” the official said.
Currently, 594 children are crammed into a building designed for only 300 children. The building accommodates the Tuschen primary and nursery schools. The building for the kindergarten is still under construction. It was expected to be completed since August, but the official said they are looking at a date sometime next year.
“We are aware of the spacing problem and so is the ministry… We have been accepting children on referrals and also new students but the problem wouldn’t go away until the nursery school is placed in another building,” the official added.
Stabroek News contacted the Chief Education Officer Olato Sam but he was unable to comment on the issue as he was indisposed.
He asked for contact to be made later when he would speak. However, attempts made subsequently to contact him were unsuccessful.
