Pupils of the Fort Ordnance Primary School, East Canje, Berbice returned to school yesterday, to a much improved environment.
According to a GINA press release, Minister of Education, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, had closed the school when he observed, on an impromptu visit, that works which had begun some two months earlier to transform the school into an emergency (disaster relief) shelter, were still incomplete.
The release stated that among the perceived threats to students’ safety were the presence of discarded builder’s waste and construction workers still at work. This prompted the minister’s call to the Chief Education Officer, acting, Marcel Hutson.
“The minister visited and he called me and he said he didn’t like what was happening and we collectively decided in the best interest of our children to close the school,” the release quoted Hutson as telling GINA.
According to the release, Hutson, in addressing parents’ concerns about the number of instructional sessions lost by students, said arrangements have been made to ensure that the term’s syllabus is delivered.
“The Regional Education Officer met with staff members of the school and they have decided that they will work some extra time to make up for time lost and that’s a good gesture on the part of the teachers,” the release quoted Hutson as pointing out.
