Parents and teachers yesterday staged a peaceful protest outside the Santa Rosa Primary School, in the Moruca Sub-Region, of Region One, calling on authorities to urgently fix the deteriorating school building.
The protest triggered a response from officials from the Education Ministry and the region, resulting in a meeting between the two sides that led to an on-the-spot decision that the building would no longer be occupied until emergency remedial work is carried out.
A contractor and his team are expected to visit today to conduct a site visit and determine the works needed to be executed.
The building, which is aged and normally accommodates students from grades One and Two, is in a state beyond repairing, according to some parents.
Secretary of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Duane Hetsberger told Stabroek News that the discussions between the ministry officials and parents were fruitful as they all played a part in deciding the way forward. However, he said that while firm decisions were taken, it is their hope that action will be taken to make the decisions a reality.
A shift system for learning will be implemented to allow students who cannot occupy the unsafe building to still benefit from classes. He noted that while there will be some loss in learning, parents agreed it was the best way forward.
It is now their hope that the contractor will be able to work in the best interest of the children and swiftly execute remedial works to the building.
Hetsberger also stated that the issue of regional authorities claiming they require permission from the Roman Catholic Bishop for the remedial works has also been ironed out.
Regional Chairman Brentnol Ashley had previously informed that the renovations required the Bishop’s permission.
Chief Education Officer Dr. Marcel Huston, Deputy Chief Education Officer for Amerindian and Hinterland Education Development Marti De Souza, new Regional Education Officer Elly Peterkin and her predecessor Chevion Bovell Success as well as Santa Rosa Primary School headmistress Hermina Rebeiro, District Education Officer Cliva Joseph, and Regional Vice chairperson Annansha Peters met with the protesting parents and teachers.
Stabroek News earlier this month reported that pupils were forced to attend classes using a shift system as various sections of the school were in a dilapidated state. Given the state of the school, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) had provided the school with tents to accommodate the students who were unable to attend classes. However, parents yesterday objected to that arrangement as the unfavourable weather condition in the district had made the situation worse.
At the protest yesterday parents held placards calling on authorities to fulfill their promises of an extension of the school.
“We will continue to fight for our children rights,” “My children have to be comfortable when learning,” “Tents are not comfortable, Need classroom, need extension,” were among the messages written on the placards they held.
‘Too old’
Meanwhile, Donna Henry, Head of the PTA, in a comment, said that talks of repairs to the school building should not be entertained given its age. She explained that while repairs to the building were done a few years ago and provided a space for comfortable learning, such was no longer the situation at the school.
She said the roof leaks and boards are rotted, posing serious dangers to the young pupils who occupies the building.
“The building doesn’t need repairs anymore. It is too old. A few years ago repairs were good but in this deplorable state [they are] no use,” Henry said.
The parent added that although the tents supplied to the school to cushion the overcrowding, they were not a feasible alternative as only 10 students could be accommodated at a time. However, when it rains, she pointed out, the area becomes muddy and students get wet.
“The parents have decided to not send their children to school because the tent becomes like a fish pond when it rains. We will not allow our children to go into that situation. We will continue to protest until we have better facilities for our children,” she declared.
The mother added too that it is time that the authorities considered building a new school to house students as the population had outgrown the building. The current population stands at 311.
Additionally, a teacher, who requested anonymity, explained that they are unable to mount any teaching aids in their classrooms due to risk of them being damaged by rain water due to the leaking roof.
She explained that they have to teach their students in tight spaces. In some instances, she said, the pupils have to move around the classroom to prevent themselves from getting wet when it rains during classes.
Since they have been complaining about the state of the school building, she said a section of a wall had been repaired and some sections were repainted but that did not solve their dilemma.
A Regional Councillor in Moruca, Maurice Torres, had explained to Stabroek News in an earlier report the building occupied by the children is aged. An $18 million contract was scheduled to be handed over to a contractor to have the building renovated. However the contractor has subsequently turned down the contract, claiming that the money was insufficient for the needed renovations.
“There is an old building and according to the Headmistress, it was due for repairs and that was supposed to be done since July/August and what I was made to understand is that an $18 million contract is available. However the contractor denied it because he said that the money cannot do for the renovation. Now school reopen and the children have to go back in the same old building.”
Torres said that since the refusal of the contractor, no effort has been made by the local authorities to tender for find contractor. As a result, with the reopening of schools, the pupils were forced to adapt to a shift system where they are at a disadvantage since they cannot fully conduct a full day of academic work.
“It seems to be a lot of lapse on the side of the local authorities in terms of giving some attention to get this simple matter sort out… so what is happening now is that there is a double session, from Monday to Friday there is double session so the children would not be able to access the full day session.”
The councillor went on to note that efforts to have a tent erected on the lawns of the compound are also being challenged since the school was constructed on the premises of a church, and permission must first be granted before any construction or activity on the premises is carried out.
“However the school was built on a church land so before they could do any additional infrastructure or any work they need to get the permission of the priest and the priest was saying that they haven’t received any letter so far from the region seeking permission for the school to do the construction.”
Ashley had also previously told Stabroek News that due to the influx of pupils from the Santa Rosa Village, the region and the ministry were in talks concerning a search for an entirely new plot of land to construct a more modern school that will be able to accommodate a maximum number of pupils from Santa Rosa and other nearby areas.
“The overcrowding is caused by the influx of additional children which will lead to an extension of the school. As a result of that the Minister of Education and the Region [are] currently working to engage the Toshao and Village Council as to finding land to construct a new school that will cater for the majority of the children that comes from the other areas of the Santa Rosa village…we’re proposing that assiduously for 2023 or to approach for funding to get that resolved as early as possible.”
