By Abigail Headley
Two Venezuelan brothers attending Stewartville Secondary School on the West Demerara are now nursing serious injuries to the head and hand after being assaulted by schoolmates on Monday afternoon.
Chief Education Officer (CEO) Saddam Hussain says that the Ministry of Educa-tion (MoE) is currently investigating the matter.
The incident comes on the heels of another at the Queenstown Secondary School where a Venezuelan student was attacked.
According to the mother of the boys, the incident began at around 14:00 hours just outside the school as her 14-year-old son was heading to a friend’s house to eat.
“The fight was out in front of the school because my son was going by a friend to eat… and same time they attack he,” the woman explained.
She added that her 13-year-old son, who was nearby, witnessed the fight and his brother being hit in the head with a stick by another student. At this, the 13-year-old intervened to defend his brother and he too was assaulted, resulting in his wrist being broken.
This newspaper understands that the fight soon moved back into the school compound, not far from the headteacher’s office. The mother told Stabroek News (SN) that those involved in the fight were taken to the office and she was called in since her sons were injured.
Noting that this is not the first case where her sons were assaulted by other students of the school, the mother said that “everything got out of control in the office because the teachers always defend the bad kids… This is the third time this thing happen and it’s the same boys them, every time is the same problem”.
She went on to explain that when the first assault took place last October she visited the Ministry of Education and was told that the culprits would be suspended. The mother said she kept her children away from the school until about a month ago when the head teacher informed her that the boys involved were on suspension.
“Yes, [she said] don’t tek worries, that nothing would happen to meh children them in school. Now, yesterday they call me. I was working they called me and they said they have to carry my son to Cottage Hospital because one of the guys them hit my son with a wood behind he head and he get a fracture in he head and the other one hand bruck,” the bilingual woman said.
At the time when this newspaper spoke with the mother yesterday, she related that she was told by the headteacher that the MoE would be contacted as the school will seek their assistance to solve the problem. Late yesterday afternoon, Hussain, who expressed shock at the incident, told SN that he had been in contact with the mother of the boys and the ministry is currently investigating the matter. This was confirmed by the mother who noted that she texted the CEO and sent photos of the boys’ injuries and was promised that staff from the ministry would be sent to look into the matter.
“I’m very concerned as well because I spent 25 years at Stewartville Secondary School and that is not the kind of tradition and culture we have had at Stewartville Secondary School. So, I’m very, very concerned …on a personal level,” Hussain stated.
The CEO further noted that he is at a loss as to what has transpired at the school because Stewartville Secondary is known to him as a very welcoming institution.
“This should not happen,” he stated emphatically.
“But the investigation is ongoing, and we have to allow that to run its course, which will be very, very quick and then we will be able to come to a position on the issue,” Hussain said.
Along with Hussain, the matter is being brought before the Migrant Unit of the MoE as well as the School’s Support Services Unit.
“I only ask for justice for my children. (My 13-year-old son) broke his hand, who will help me with that? I ask the Minister of Education to take action on this matter because it is not the first time,” the frustrated mother stated.
The mother of three migrated to Guyana three years ago and noted that at one point during the incidents at the school the headteacher told her “is best I take my children out of the school and go back to Venezuela”.
Two weeks ago a video surfaced with a Venezuelan student from Queenstown Secondary School being beaten by a group of her schoolmates. These assailants were seen being cheered on by students who attended the same school and other schools. The incident took place in the vicinity of the Bank of Guyana.
When the ministry got wind of the matter, investigations were conducted and a statement released saying that several actions were taken, including counseling, suspension, and transfers. This move by the MoE was not satisfactory to members of the Venezuelan community in Guyana, as other parents came forward to relate similar instances of bullying by Guyanese students and even teachers while, in their eyes, the ministry did nothing of significance.
