There are disturbing recurrences in this society. Incidences that should be rare seem to have become disturbingly common. Shock or surprise have been replaced with fleeting outrage and calm acceptance. We continuously behave like our hands and feet are tied and though we may temporarily remove the muzzles to whisper or shriek, the echoes of our silence are loud. Instead of linking as a collective to be proactive instead of reactive and to create solutions and foster healing, we engage in the amalgamation of our traumas, as they continue to multiply. The most precious in our country, the leaders and innovators of tomorrow, are not protected from our failings but are killed, hurt or affected by it.
The number of schools that have burned within the last few years is alarming. Sinister lurks everywhere in this country and the conflagrations have been some of the results of the breakdown of this society. How do we convince ourselves that a society where the burning of schools is common is a society where the children and their future are the priority? Everything that is humanly possible should be done to ensure spaces where they gather to learn are protected, but the fires have exposed the failures.
The most painful fiery incident that affected the nation’s children occurred on May 21st, 2023, when the Mahdia Secondary School dormitory fire occurred. Twenty of the nation’s children perished in the smoke and flames of incompetence and lack of care that largely runs this society. The burden of blame is resting on the shoulders of a teenager who is charged with twenty counts of murder. Though warnings from the Guyana Fire Service about the fire hazards of the building were ignored, it is one child who is to stand trial. Never do those who say they care and flaunt their subpar performance and live like royals in a nation where a large section of the population is suffering, stand trial for their crimes against the people.
The people from El Paso, Micobie, Karisparu and Chenapou must live with the brunt of the sufferings because it is their children who were lost in the flames of a broken society. It is them who will not forget the screams of the lost children. It is them who must watch the scars of those were injured and escaped and try to find healing in this harsh society.
Five million was offered for each child lost. Five million to cover negligence and to escape blame. One brave mother who lost twins in the fire filed a civil lawsuit against the state last month. She says that she objected to the five million dollars that was offered per child in 2023 but was pressured into accepting the agreement. The mother is suing the state for more than 900 million dollars. How do we measure the value of a life? There is no amount of money that can restore life or change the past, but the least that can be done when there is negligence is that families be handsomely compensated.
The Mahdia dormitory fire was a painful lesson and the learning from it should have motivated the society to ensure that everything possible is done to secure the buildings where our children gather. But have we learned?
While most schools that have burned within the last few years have been public schools, this week, Mae’s Schools which is a private institution also burned. About a thousand of our nation’s children have been affected. Though at the time of writing this the cause of the fire is unknown, it was reported that the power supply to the school was fluctuating. We can all agree that the Guyana Power and Light is a giant of incompetence in this nation. However, it was also reported that parents and teachers had complained about old and faulty wiring in the school. Questions have been raised about the school which is over thirty years old not being insured and about fire safety measures like alarms and sprinkler systems.
There is a belief, that private schools in Guyana offer more security and enhanced educational standards. There is an air of superiority from some who choose to send their children to private school. Some private schools are even accused of being too selective with their admission criteria. Certainly, it is a debatable topic for there are many private schools that are also deficient. We know that the public school system has its issues. Many children succeed in both private and
public schools, but there are also those who are at a disadvantage when the necessary tools are not provided for them to advance, and they are ultimately left behind.
Other schools that burned within the last few years include North West Secondary, Mabaruma and North Ruimveldt Secondary. The fires at those schools occurred in 2021. St. George’s High School burned in 2022 and in 2023 Christ Church Secondary burned. While the fires at North Ruimveldt Secondary and St. George’s High School were ruled electrical, Christ Church Secondary and North West Secondary were said to be arson. To maliciously set fire to a school is unhinged and depraved behaviour. I have not seen any reports that those responsible were ever caught.
It is unfortunate that the lives of the nation’s children can be put at risk in spaces where they are supposed to be safe. We must be grateful that the fire at Mae’s School did not result in injuries to any children. We must be grateful that no lives were lost. However, like other children whose schools have been burned, the children of Mae’s should be provided with the services to process the trauma and emotions they may be experiencing. A place where they created childhood experiences was gone in flames within a few hours. It is a place where they made friends, created memories and learned. Too often we ignore the mental health of our children. The teachers and other staff are also affected as they too created memories and made their contributions to the school. We must also think about the parents and guardians. A culture has been ingrained that most adults also do not seek help for their mental health. The society continues to suffer because of it.
Five schools and a dormitory burned since 2021. Sad that this painful lesson was repeated this week. I trust that we have learned and take heed to secure our schools so that no more will burn.
