Stella Maris Primary in filthy condition; children forced to leave

– ministry says school will reopen tomorrow

Classes in the school yard? This certainly appears to be the case. When the students of the Stella Maris Primary turned out for school yesterday that was the sight they were met with. (Jules Gibson photo).
Classes in the school yard? This certainly appears to be the case. When the students of the Stella Maris Primary turned out for school yesterday that was the sight they were met with. (Jules Gibson photo).

Despite a week’s delay, Stella Maris Primary School was still not ready for students yesterday following extensive rehabilitation during the August holidays, because the buildings and compound were left in a deplorable condition.

The Ministry of Education announced last evening that the primary school would now be reopened tomorrow. The nursery section of the school was opened as planned yesterday and the commotion in the Primary Department did not seem to affect the smaller children.

Pupils’ excitement at returning to school was shattered when they were greeted by disarray and dust-filled classrooms, a partly swampy compound and shin high grass in some parts; an environment that was just too unhealthy for them to spend the remainder of the day in.

In the end, many of them were forced to return home as teachers refused to work and not much was forthcoming on when the school would be cleaned.
By mid-morning, only about a quarter of the school’s population remained as parents made desperate efforts to have their queries answered, to no avail.

Swamped: This is an area in the heart of the Stella Maris Primary School compound yesterday. (Photo by Jules Gibson)
Swamped: This is an area in the heart of the Stella Maris Primary School compound yesterday. (Photo by Jules Gibson)

Days before the September 1 opening of all public schools across Guyana, the Ministry of Education had announced in a press release that several schools, inclusive of Stella Maris Primary and Nursery would not be opened owing to “ongoing extensive rehabilitation”. They were scheduled to be opened one week later.

The ministry, in a statement issued last evening, advised parents and students that Stella Maris Primary and St George’s Secondary would open tomorrow.
“We regret any inconvenience caused due to the cleaning exercise being undertaken to ensure these schools are in a state of readiness following recent completion of rehabilitation works,” the release said.

Parents and their excited children were at Stella Maris from as early at 8 o’clock but when they entered the compound, a huge pile of furniture was the first sight to greet them.
The compound was littered with garbage and there were at least four pieces of wood with nails in places were they could be easily stepped on. Parents were being advised that it was not wise for the children to remain because of the condition of classrooms, washrooms and the yard.

Confusion: Disgruntled parents and some children stand outside the headmistress’s office in the Stella Maris Primary School compound yesterday morning. As was the case in other parts of the school compound, several pieces of furniture were scattered around. (Photo by Jules Gibson)
Confusion: Disgruntled parents and some children stand outside the headmistress’s office in the Stella Maris Primary School compound yesterday morning. As was the case in other parts of the school compound, several pieces of furniture were scattered around. (Photo by Jules Gibson)

During a subsequent visit by this newspaper, more than an hour later, parents had congregated in a section of the compound loudly expressing their disgust at the situation while their children sat on pieces of furniture that were in the yard. Others were leaving the compound with their children.

Unacceptable
One parent told Stabroek News that it was unacceptable to have children in dirty surroundings, exposed to unsanitary conditions, live electrical wires and sharp objects that could cause injury.
The woman pointed out that it was unthinkable for persons to allow a school to be reopened knowing that it was not finished and was not ready to accept children some as young as five years old, and now experiencing their first taste of primary education.

“These people are mad to let children come to the school when it in this condition and on top of that nobody isn’t telling us anything. I ain’t leaving my child here because if he get sick is my money got to spend to take him to the hospital,” another woman said angrily.

In addition, Stabroek News was told that some painting was done on Sunday and the smell of paint was still pungent when this newspaper arrived at the educational facility.
“Look at this school. This use to be one of the best in the country. Now look what they run it down to,” a parent said.

Yet another said “the place is very dirty and I don’t know what to do. Until now, I haven’t heard anything from the headmistress. One teacher came out and tell us that we must wait and see”.
The woman told this newspaper that she was taking her child, who is in Grade Three, home and pointed out that a cleaning exercise cannot be completed in a day.

A parent points to exposed electrical wires in one of the washrooms, which was also in a deplorable condition. While the wires are out of reach of children, an electrical point dangles lower. (Photo by Jules Gibson)
A parent points to exposed electrical wires in one of the washrooms, which was also in a deplorable condition. While the wires are out of reach of children, an electrical point dangles lower. (Photo by Jules Gibson)

“I think that they should give these children them one more week because the condition here is very dirty. The best thing is to let the children go home and come back Monday for school,” she added.
According to a parent, she had to help sweep the building and wipe dust off benches when she arrived.

Pointing to the swampy area, the parent said, “They are going to give these children typhoid and gastro, look that water how it stagnated.” She added that it would be unhealthy to allow children to remain there.

At one point a parent erupted in anger and a few minutes later the headmistress told teachers and parents that she was awaiting a telephone call to decide on the way forward.
She did not say from whom the call was expected but this newspaper understands that after a tiresome wait many of the parents and teachers left without any further word on the telephone call.

Refused to clean

There were pieces of furniture around the compound and this newspaper was told that some of the parents had assisted some teachers in getting classrooms in order. Other teachers, however, refused to clean.

Two students and a parent carrying a desk to a classroom yesterday morning before classes were suspended. (Photo by Jules Gibson)
Two students and a parent carrying a desk to a classroom yesterday morning before classes were suspended. (Photo by Jules Gibson)

President of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), Colwyn King, advised the teachers that it was not their duty to clean classrooms and they should find a safer environment in which to spend the rest of the day.

This newspaper understands that some of the teachers spent the remainder of the day at nearby schools while others went home. This same procedure is to be adopted until the school is clean.
Speaking to members of the media, King said, “Classrooms are in disarray… the yard’s condition is ridiculous. The state that the contractor has left the building in is detestable and now we are asking the teachers [to clean] and then just giving one day to get this done?”

He said that by exposing children to danger in an environment that was not conducive to teaching and learning, “we are saying to the nation that when the children throw dirty things in the street, when the place is dirty it’s alright because children can work in a nasty environment”.

King told the media that one has to understand that teachers not only teach children to count but also the right attitude and behaviour patterns.
According to him, to send children into a school that is deplorable on the first day of school, “It is saying we don’t care. We simply don’t care”.

These students sat patiently in the sun yesterday morning awaiting word on when classes would resume. (Photo by Jules Gibson photo)
These students sat patiently in the sun yesterday morning awaiting word on when classes would resume. (Photo by Jules Gibson photo)

The GTU president said he toured the school’s buildings and “my view is the carpentry work to some extent was quite sloppy. The painting is unfinished.” He said that the condition of the yard was not conducive to teaching and learning or in keeping with the law.

He said the law stipulated that if the environment was not of an acceptable standard, teachers could refuse to work.