Renita Joseph, the Belle West Primary School teacher whose house went up in flames on Thursday morning, on Friday received assistance from the Ministry of Education.
In a post shared on the Ministry of Education’s Facebook page, Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson on behalf of Minis-ter Priya Manickchand, met with Joseph at the scene of the fire where he offered comforting words and presented a package to the family.
According to the post, the package comprised of a HP Laptop along with accessories and monetary assistance to assist the family as they work towards rebuilding their lives.
Hutson said “The Ministry of Education is concerned about its teachers and will continue to stand by their side.” He noted that the contribution made is a testament to how the Ministry views and values its teachers.
Additionally, the Department of Education, Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) also contributed to the family in the form of food items, clothing, and footwear.
A statement from the department said, “The Ministry of Education remains committed to supporting our teachers especially in such difficult times.”
Joseph and her husband expressed their gratitude for the assistance received.
Joseph’s Good Intent, West Demerara two-storey house went up in flames on Thursday morning while the family of four slept.
Joseph had said that she discovered the fire as it was approaching the bedroom she occupied.
After observing the fire she quickly picked up her 3-year-old daughter who was sleeping in the same room and alerted her husband who was at the time in another bedroom with her 10-year-old son.
She explained that the fire started in the front section of the hallway, on the upper wooden flat of the house where they slept.
They were able to use the back door as an escape route but were unable to save anything in the home, since the heavy wind contributed to the fire spreading rapidly through the house.
Fire tenders arrived at the scene of the fire shortly after being summoned and did their best to control the fire, but it was too late to save anything.
Persons interested in assisting the family can contact Renita Joseph at 267-1408.
