| – says overcrowding, alligators, conditions unbearable– Govt. releases $14M for repairsHundreds of students were sent home yesterday after angry parents padlocked the gate of a new $60M West Demerara Primary School to protest what they say are critical health and safety conditions.Unbearable: The headmistress is forced to conduct her business in a small section of this canteen.The parents of La Parfaite Harmonie Primary School are now threatening to continue their protest actions indefinitely unless concrete decisions are made by authorities to fix a burnt out section of the school, reconnect power and address a number of other pressing issues.The parents have also challenged government officials to send their children to spend a week at the school to experience the situation.Kaieteur News was told that following a March fire at the school, nothing was done to repair the damaged section with students complaining of overcrowding, mosquitoes, extreme heat and skin infection.The headmistress, because of a lack of accommodation,Soccer Jerseys Outlet, is forced to camp out in the open corridors,Asics Dynaflyte 2 Mens, using a desk and bench as her office. When it rains, she would sit in the classroom with the children. This situation started since last term.The school was commissioned in 2011 to cater for La Parfaite Harmonie, a new housing scheme located along Canal Number One said to be one of the largest residential projects for the Government. However, while the school was built to accommodate just 250 students, there are about 600 children there now, leadingParents padlocked the gate to protest the conditions at the $60M school.to severe overcrowding.Yesterday, parents went early and padlocked the gate and refused to allow students and teachers to enter. The protest,Deportivas Asics Mujer Baratas, which lasted three hours, saw Region Three officials rushing to the scene, but they were rebuffed by the parents who insisted on speaking directly with Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand or Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam. Sam met with them yesterday afternoon.According to Ewin Dawson, a parent, despite several complaints about the conditions of the school, there have been only empty promises.“We are saying that this is the biggest housing scheme in the country and this is what we have been given to care for our children. How do you expect the children to produce under these conditions?”In addition to severe overcrowding,Nike Air Max Damen G��nstig, parents said that earlier this year, fire of unknown origin badly damaged the middle section of the L-shaped, one-flat building. That burnt out section housed the nursery school and the administrative offices.Following the completion of a nearby canteen, located in the far end of the compound, the headmistress moved into a section of it. In the afternoon, when it became too hot, she would work from the corridor.With the school built four feet off the ground, another major problem facing teachers and students alike are mosquitoes from the water that is underneath.Parents and students claim that alligators and mosquitoes live under the school and the situation has become scary.“My child has developed rashes and the teachers are complaining about the mosquitoes. You can’t spend so many millions of dollars and have this school in this condition. We also have three, four students sitting on a bench and more coming in,” an upset Loretta Singh claimed.There were also unconfirmed complaints that students were almost attacked by caimans which are believed to be living under the open section of the school building.“We had some mad scramble with a dog and another child who fall down near the step and a little alligator. If you see the alligator trying to get at he. I would like to see the Minister of Education and the other Ministers to send their pickney here to experience what we own going through,” another parent said.Since the March fire, power had been disconnected from the school. “Imagine having the school built in such a way that two of three blackboards block you from the breeze and then the sun turns in the afternoon to hit the wall next to you. These are young children who are suffering. We want a bigger school…a playfield for our children and for these problems to be fixed,” said Winnie Pitt,Asics Kayano 23 Pas Cher, a parent.“We are saying the education people in Region Three know our problem and haveWe ain’t moving: Parents defy police and Region Three officials yesterday.turned a blind eye.”Region Three Chairman,Bill Lee Jersey, Julius Faerber, who was on the scene, said that monies have been passed for the filling of under the school and it is likely this will be done before yearend.Following a meeting with parents yesterday afternoon, the Chief Education Officer reportedly disclosed that the Ministry of Education has allocated $14M for repairs to the school.According to Adepemo Peters, Deputy Regional Education Officer of Region Three, the monies will be used to repair the damaged section, buy a water pump and fill under the school. The entire school will also be rewired.“We are also hoping to do some landscaping in the compound.”The Deputy Regional Executive Officer also confirmed that $3.9M was spent earlier this year to build toilets and set up water tanks. |
