Three days into the school term, students attending the Develdt Primary School, in the Berbice River, were yet to begin classes because of the lack of teachers.
“We don’t know what is going on, but it is very bad,” a parent told Stabroek News yesterday via telephone, while saying that there has been no official word from authorities.
The school’s janitor has been reporting for duty and has opened the doors on each day but none of the students have attended.
It was explained that because parents in the small community are aware that the teachers are not at school, they have opted to keep their children away.
The headmistress of the school has been away since before the end of the last school term.
There is only one other teacher at the school and she was forced to teach all the children. “If they know they were not coming, then they could have called and said something,” a resident said.
It is believed that the teacher, who was at the school up to the end of last term, may be finding it difficult to get transportation to return to the area after she returned to her home in Orima mining community for the Easter holidays.
It is understood that the Captain of the area, Laxley Lindie, has been calling the authorities for the last three days on the issue but still has nothing substantial to tell the parents.
Contacted yesterday, Region 10 Education Officer Claude Johnson said one of the teachers had reported to his office yesterday and she is expected to travel to the school shortly.
Asked whether the head-teacher is on medical leave as she has been absent from school for some time, Johnson said he could not say since he is new to the area and has to depend on his officers for information.
He said he has been receiving some reports but he has to investigate and since there are several schools it would take some time.
Residents said yesterday that the Ministry of Education should make alternative arrangements, since the welfare of the children are important. While there is another primary school in the area, it is located at Gatroy, which is some distance away from some of the children. While some parents have opted to move their children to that school, which is better staffed, others are unable to do so.
