The Paradise Primary School, East Coast Demerara, has not been functioning since Monday after parents staged a protest in the schoolyard over what has been described as unacceptable conditions at the school.
When Stabroek News visited the school yesterday it was deserted. However, this newspaper spoke with Shellon London, a nearby resident whose child attends the school.
London insisted that the school is in need of serious help and noted that there is no water, no bathroom facilities and limited furniture.
“They have 12 benches and 12 desks in every classroom and is 40 kids in a class! When is time for the children to write test, they have to take turns to write,” the irate mother stated. London further added that the staircase to the back of the school collapsed and has not been repaired.
“The headmistress chair have a big hole! She have to put a piece of wood across it to sit down and that is the kind of thing people have to deal with every day,” she noted.
London had said that it was not only the parents who are complaining, but the teachers also. “They can’t even leave their books there because people will go into the school and thief them and then they have to give explanation for the book because is they take it,” she informed.
She added that the teachers and headmistress of the school were at the Education Ministry at the time of this newspaper’s visit, and they are hoping for a positive outcome. The woman concluded added, “I think is time they do what they need to do. It’s time. It’s been too long…it’s overdue.”
Meanwhile when this newspaper made contact with the Ministry of Education, a representative stated that although it was a serious matter and they are concerned about it, it’s a matter to be dealt with by the region. Efforts to contact the Regional Administration of Region 4 proved futile.
