Dear Editor,
On September 11, 2010, President’s College will mark its 25th anniversary. Perhaps nowhere in the Western hemisphere has a school been used as a political and ideological football as much as President’s College. This secondary school, situated at Golden Grove on the East Coast of Demerara was opened in 1985 with one dormitory and one teaching block; it was only partially completed when the first batch of students entered. Later, two more dormitories, one more teaching block and an administrative building were constructed. PC should have boasted of a swimming pool, a gymnasium, a modern sports ground, a recreation park and an auditorium, but these facilities were never completed.
Construction of the school started while Forbes Burnham was alive; however he died in August 1985 before the school was opened. Mr Hugh Desmond Hoyte became President and the ideological position of the PNC shifted from being a socialist party to an open market party. Mr Hoyte would have nothing to do with President’s College, and even though the school continued to be funded by the government, it stagnated.
In 1992 the PPP government came to power, and then for political reasons the real destruction of President’s College began to take place. The school continued to be starved of much needed funds for repairs and proper maintenance. All this time the students of PC continued to do very well at external exams; each year there are always 100% passes in the subjects offered. The students were defeating the odds, but even though they were doing well the government continued to look for means and ways to bring PC to its knees. Recently experienced and much needed staff members were transferred or left the school – people who were making a valuable contribution. The former school of excellence is now managed by a skeleton staff.
As a senior secondary school it is unbelievable that PC does not offer music as a subject; the students of PC haven’t done music in years. It had one of the best school steel bands, but today the school is silent when it comes to music. The PTA and all concerned Guyanese need to urge the government on this 25th anniversary to help PC in its rebuilding efforts. I wish to urge the government to forget whose idea it was to open the school and do all they can to ensure that it returns to its glory days.
Yours faithfully,
Clive Fredericks
