Dear Editor,
The Ministry of Education was kind enough to share with the public, via a Facebook post, that the Carmel Secondary School’s laboratory was ready. There is definitely a lot of excitement to get these projects completed as quickly as possible so the students may take advantage of the new facilities that will enhance their learning experience. CRG congratulates the Ministry of Education on their pursuit for higher achievement within the education sector. We also wish the students in the country all the best as they pursue their studies.
Although we are making strides in improving the opportunities for our nation’s children, there should also be progress in ensuring that our students are guaranteed a safe environment in which to pursue their dreams. Unfortunately, the new laboratory has low ceilings, lacks a sprinkler system to suppress fires and has grilled windows. There may or may not be a fire extinguisher in the laboratory as none was evident in the photo, which showed a large portion of the laboratory, including the front where the teacher would be, and would need easy access to a fire extinguisher in case of an emergency.
The discouraging part of the announcement is that it brings back memories of both the Mahdia Dorm fire and the Christ Church Secondary School fire. The laboratory materials caused the fire at Christ Church Secondary School and the grillwork prevented those innocent children from surviving the dormitory fire in Mahdia. The picture shared of the completed Carmel Secondary School laboratory is one that illustrates the dire and urgent needs at our schools across the country. CRG urges the Guyana Fire Service to inspect every school, especially those that have been renovated or newly built, to ensure they meet the requirements for fire safety.
Placing a security guard or off duty police officer, and security cameras at the schools should suffice to prevent robberies if the Guyana Police Force is truly engaged and committed to protecting our students. Furthermore, the installation of a sprinkler system and fire extinguishers should be mandatory at every school laboratory. Guyana needs true transformation from a Third World country to a First World nation instead of an upgrade from a poor third world nation to a rich third world nation.
The government must adjust its perspective and look beyond what was done elsewhere in the world to reach to where they are today, and focus on what is being done by leading nations in preparation for the next generation. This will lead them to also using inflammable building materials in high-risk buildings. The last thing we need is another tragedy!
Sincerely,
Jamil Changlee
Chairman
The Cooperative Republicans of
Guyana
