Teachers at the Santa Rosa Primary School, in the Moruca Sub-Region, Region One, yesterday held a peaceful protest over the state of the school, which they said is not prepared for face-to-face teaching.
The teachers held the protest after making complaints to the Assistant Regional Executive Officer (AREO) about the unhygienic condition of the school.
According to a teacher, who spoke with this newspaper but asked not to be named, the school does not have proper sanitation measures in place and the AREO and the Department of Education in the region have been made aware of the situation. The teacher further noted that given the number of children who have to returned to school and considering the need for safety, these measures should be in place.
“The teachers protested for things beyond their control,” she said. “Sani-tary blocks for both teachers and children, water, wash sinks, toilets were overflowing with faeces and nothing was done up to yesterday afternoon,” she further informed.
She added that parents were also in support of the protest and that the children were taken back home due to the unsanitary conditions.
The teacher said that the current situation must have been known to the departments mentioned because checks had to be made prior to the reopening.
On Monday, when the schools were reopened, this newspaper was informed of a similar issue at La Parfaite Harmonie Primary, on the West Bank of Demerara. This newspaper was told that the tanks at the school were empty and that parents made requests to keep their children at home because of the unsanitary conditions they found.
