Angry parents prevented their children from attending the Nismes Primary School, West Bank Demerara on Tuesday as they protested the Department of Education’s inaction in ridding the school of snakes and bats.
The parents were still voicing their concerns when officials from the department arrived with workers to start clearing the bush in front of the school and weeding the yard.
They started protesting on Monday morning after “nothing was done to ensure the children’s safety” and a few parents took their children home.
On Tuesday more parents came out in support and shouting that it was not fair for their children to endure such treatment.
The department announced that the children should remain at home until Monday as more work would be undertaken. The parents were satisfied with that arrangement because “at least something would be done to address the situation.”
They were concerned though that the school had been disrupted since around October 18 after the security guard on duty spotted the first snake on October 17 and called a neighbour to help. He made a hook and used it to “pull down the snake and kill it.”
Another was seen in the ceiling, while one was spotted entwined with the electrical wire that connects to the building, making its way to the roof.
A parent, Shuvayne Manning lamented that “test would start next week but the children are not doing any work and they would drop back [in performance].”
According to her, “If nothing is done by Monday we would protest again for our children’s safety.”
“Minister [of Education Priya] Manikchand talking about caring for children but she should ensure that they attend school in comfort,” the parents said.
A parent, Rondell Thom told this newspaper that the department has promised to “spray the ceiling” and he “would wait and see that they do it, even if I have to help them.”
The man said his daughter is afraid to ever go back to school because of the snakes and he wants to play a part in removing those fears.
The Ministry of Education sent two separate teams to investigate reports about snakes invading the school which had forced the students and teachers to abandon the upper flat.
Meanwhile, a large portion of the school compound was also taken over by weeds and the land was not level, preventing the children from playing.
There is no fence or gate in front of the compound, so it is constantly invaded by straying cattle, resulting in damage to drains and the holes mentioned earlier. The shaky bridge had also been repaired by the region.
According to reports, the team promised that the school and department would be informed about the next move.
The students and teachers would have to be relocated for work to be undertaken on the building.
The students have been cramped in the lower flat of the building, based on advice from the Guyana Teachers Union, to avoid anyone being bitten.
In the meantime, the parents said that rats and bats live in the rotten ceiling and that bat dropping would also fall on the students. They are aware that the droppings can cause serious allergies and were concerned that their children had to be in that situation.
