A mosquito infestation at the Freeburg Secondary School, Werk-en-Rust, Georgetown, has forced the Ministry of Education to cancel classes at the school.
The ministry, in a statement yesterday, said that with the infestation, students were prevented from writing their end-of-term examinations. The ministry stated that every effort will be made to rectify the situation before school reopens for the new term.
Stabroek News understands that the school, located at 42 Norton and Palm streets, Werk-en- Rust, had been affected since Friday last, but the situation intensified yesterday, forcing the head teacher to inform the ministry.
One teacher told this newspaper that when students showed up yesterday morning to sit their final examination, it was difficult for them to focus, as they were constantly disturbed by the insects.
Three examinations were affected and students will have to sit those exams when the new school term commences.
The teachers believe the stagnant water in an abandoned washroom has contributed to the infestation. They noted that the lower flat of the school has been prone to flooding whenever it rains and in the past, it was only then that they were affected by mosquitoes. This instance, they revealed, is the worst they ever faced.
It was related that prior to the infestation, persons were sent at the beginning of the term to address the flooding situation but the matter was not resolved.
“We are terribly affected because all of our work is backlogged and we have deadlines to meet but we might not be able to do that. It is really bad, you can’t get to focus on what you want to do,” one teacher said.
Students were sent home just around noon yesterday following approval by the ministry for classes to be canceled for the remainder of the week. Officers from the education ministry, however, met with teachers from the school, who they engaged in discussion and promised to find a solution.
The school, Stabroek News was told, also contacted the Ministry of Public Health asking for assistance.
“We would like to know that the situation will be addressed before school reopens because we want to be comfortable,” a teacher pointed out.
Apart from the students and teachers being affected, security guards stationed at the school and persons living around the school’s environs are also disturbed by the infestation.
“The mosquitoes are too much. Repellants or coils don’t work here, they are so much. We have to be clapping all the time. During the nights it is even worse…I really think that they should fog the area because it is not healthy at all for us or the children,” one security guard said.
Residents told Stabroek News that they are not affected during the day but in the nights they are harassed by the infestation.
One man shared that the infestation has been ongoing for a few weeks but got unbearable during last week. He noted that he had to clear away the bushes from his yard and the outskirts before having little relief.
He pointed out that the alleys in the community should be cleaned and cleared and the community should be fogged by the Ministry of Public Health.
