In a world of darkness when there is a spark, it should signify hope. But here in Guyana where darkness fills the hearts and minds of many a spark can mean the destruction of a school by burning which creates feelings of despair.
It is alarming that between 2021 and this year, four secondary schools burned in Guyana. In 2021 it was Mabaruma Secondary and North Ruimveldt Secondary. In 2022 it was St. George’s High School. Twelve days into 2023, Christ Church Secondary burned. It was reported by the Guyana Fire Service that the St. George’s High School fire and North Ruimveldt’s were electrical. However, the Mabaruma Secondary and Christ Church Secondary fires were said to be arson.
In a society where arsonists are bold enough to burn institutions where children conceive ideas, explore their skills and talents and work towards their goals, what can we say about ourselves? What right-thinking or sane person would burn a school?
For two years many of Guyana’s children were left behind because of COVID and to further disrupt their education, those who by their works have revealed that they are morally handicapped, have burned schools. Where is the love for Guyana’s children in the harsh heat of a burning school? We claim to love all of Guyana’s children, but often our actions do not match our words in this society.
Burning of a school hurts the children. Fear, anxiety, sadness, displacement – parents, teachers and children struggling to adjust to a new norm and mourning what was lost – how can anyone deliberately subject children, their parents, and teachers to that? What messages are we sending the children? Do we want them to think that in a morally sound and enriching society deliberately setting fires to schools is acceptable? How do we end the cycle of damaging our youth by continuously creating situations where they are hurt? Why should they fear their dreams being polluted by smoke?
We like to boast about Guyana’s children when they excel at CAPE and CSEC; we are proud when the results of the National Grade 6 Assessment are announced though it is often just those who make it into the “top schools” that are publicly celebrated. Still in those moments we claim that all of Guyana’s children are important and there is equal opportunity for all to become the best versions of themselves. But all do not become the best versions of themselves. It is evident that the arsonists did not.
In a country where we speculate, pontificate, and engage in debates, the theories about why schools are burning are rife. Many suspected that the Christ Church Secondary fire was arson before the Guyana Fire Service’s pronouncement that it was. There was a fire at the school the week before which was said to have been caused by chemicals in the laboratory, but was it really that or was that the first attempt of the arsonist?
Because Christ Church Secondary was in a prime location some believe that someone wants the spot for business or perhaps it is someone with a thirst to rebuild the school at quadruple the cost. It is a season of prosperity for many contractors by dishonest practices. We have seen several projects around the country and the reports about how much some of them cost have puzzled us. With millions and billions at stake it is terrifying to think the lengths the desperate and greedy would go. But to burn schools?
In two years, we have sat and watched four schools burn and it is business as usual. It is obvious that the miscreants did not think about how their actions would affect the children’s learning trajectory or mental health. Perhaps these arsonists were children left behind – ones whose experiences in Guyana’s schools did not mold them into decent human beings – perhaps the disparities in educating our children negatively affected them and now the unhealed children who still live in them want to play with matches and burn away their pain. Or perhaps the arsonists are just burning to benefit themselves or their handlers as many are speculating.
It was not only schools that burned within the last couple of years. Brickdam Police Station also burned, and there was a fire at CID headquarters. When I saw the Brickdam Police Station fire I was of course shocked. The next day when I passed and saw how quick they were clearing the debris, like the average Guyanese I speculated about the cause of the fire.
We were told a story about a disgruntled prisoner, with a lighter, wire and sponge. There were even reports about a confession. The suspect said that he was beaten into confessing. In this land of oil, corruption, and fires, I am sure most of the population believed the suspect.
We must admit that there are those in society who do not care about Guyana’s future and therefore they do not care about our children. I have not read anywhere that anyone was arrested for the Mabaruma Secondary fire. It might be too soon to make a conclusion about whether anyone will be arrested for the Christ Church Secondary fire. Last report I read was that they were looking for the arsonist.
How do we stop this from reoccurring? Our children should be the most protected group in our society and anything that enriches them or prepares them for the future should also be protected. We can only hope that the arsonists are caught and that the Ministry of Education heightens security at all our public schools. Four school fires are enough to tell us that something is amiss.
It is scary to imagine that more schools and other public buildings can be burned. The speculations about the reasons behind them are unsettling but in this society would we be surprised if they were true? How can we ever be surprised by anything that occurs in a society where there is a breakdown in law and order. Perhaps when corruption and criminality were distributed by the gods, Guyana’s portion was generous.
