Saying that the school is neglected, teachers of President’s College continued their sit-in for a second day yesterday even as students prepare to write their end of school-year-exams today.

The teachers say that they will continue with the protest action until their outstanding grievances are addressed. So far a response has been received regarding senior teachers’ appointments but three matters are outstanding. These include a 5% retroactive pay for teachers, the water situation and the refurbishing of the science laboratories, the Home Economics Department as well as classrooms and the teachers staffroom. When this newspaper called the office of Minister within the Ministry of Education, Dr Desrey Fox for comment yesterday afternoon, Stabroek News was told that she was not in and would not be returning for the rest of the day.

Vice-President of the President’s College Teachers Association, Garvin Blackman said that the teachers will continue their protest action until the outstanding matters are addressed. He noted that the teachers are prepared to work but because of the unfavourable conditions at work, they decided to stage the protest action.

While there has been an improvement in the water supply, he said, it is not to the level expected and in his view as a former student, who left the institution in 2004, the situation has worsened. It is a case where they have to flush toilets with buckets of water, he said. Blackman noted that the school’s well has not been functioning for the past two years and has outlived its usefulness. “Sometimes you get, sometimes you don’t”, said Blackman about water. He noted that the shortage of water affects the students of the residential school in myriad ways including in terms of health and hygiene.

With regards to the Science laboratory, he said that the water does not flow through the taps, there is a severe shortage of equipment and there is a need for proper seating for the students. It was noted that there should be a steady supply of water in the laboratory in case of emergencies.

Meanwhile, at the Home Economics department, only two of the four gas stoves are functioning while there are holes in the roof. Tundie Fraser, a teacher in the department told Stabroek News that the deficiencies hamper the work of the Department. The cupboards are rotting and they had asked for a trestle for a water tank to be built, but a tank was placed in the stairway instead, she said. The teacher pointed out that this is a safety hazard. Further, she noted, while they have been asked to raise funds to “subsidize” the Department, “that is all that is being done. No one is doing anything. We are maintaining the Department”. Fraser noted that the subject is mandatory up to the Third Form with on average, 27 students per class and they are working without a lot of equipment. “In order to get certain things done, we would have to bring items from home”, she said. The teacher noted that the sewing machine was not working and she has her personal machine there.

But the situation has been ongoing for too long and they are not prepared to accept it anymore. “Teachers try their best to operate in the best interest of the students and they would have looked past these issues. But the time has come where we need to stand up for what we believe in”, Blackman said. He declared that while President’s College is one of the leading secondary schools in the country, junior secondary schools are better equipped. Even so, he said, the students at PC have performed at the highest level.

This view was echoed by Mercylene Moses, a guidance and counseling officer at the school. She did not participate in the sit-in as she is not a part of the teaching staff but said that she supported the educators. “For learning to take place, the environment has to be conducive”, she stated. She noted, however, that ever since a new Parents Teachers Association executive was installed, there have been some improvements and the school is “on the road to recovery”. She added that the School’s board needs to “pull themselves up” and speak with the teachers to get a full picture of what was happening.

Several other teachers said that for too long the school has been neglected and they are urging the authorities to visit the school. Currently there are 35 permanent and part-time teachers and 377 students enrolled at President’s College.