GTU calls for immediate closure of all schools with dorms

– amind growing Covid cases among students, teachers

The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) has called on the Ministry of Education to close all schools with dorms with immediate effect given the rising number of Coronavirus Disease (COVID) cases among teachers and students.

Against the advice of the GTU, the Education Ministry, on November 9, 2020, reopened schools across the country for students in Grades 10, 11 and 12 as well as for those attending Practical Instruction Centres and Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) Centres. However, since then more than two dozen cases have been recorded within the school population.
“In light of positive Coronavirus test results emerging from schools where students are kept in dorms, the Guyana Teachers’ Union calls on the Ministry of Education to close all schools with dorms,” GTU President Mark Lyte said in a statement on Tuesday.
According to him, while the Ministry offered the Union its assurance on October 5, 2020 that all students would be tested before entering dorms, it has failed to make good on its commitment.

“The failure on the part of MoE to test students before entering the dorms at President’s College and Bartica in particular have placed every student, teacher and their family at risk of becoming infested with the Coronavirus,” Lyte said.
In another statement issued hours later, GTU said it is concerned about the growing number of cases in Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) District.

“The union is deeply concerned in particular about the situation in Bartica where teachers and students have tested positive for the virus since the reopening of school. These positive cases have been recorded at the two main secondary schools where students are housed in dorms,” it said.

Given the situation in town, the Union renewed calls for all schools in Bartica to be closed for a period of two weeks to allow for teachers and students to be quarantined and isolated from others, especially those residing in dorms.
“Equally, we urge that the same action be taken for schools for which dorms are attached where cases have been recorded. We believe this is the only way to curb the spread that is presently taking place among staff, students, and their families at these schools,” GTU iterated.

In an effort to suppress the spread of the deadly virus and safeguard the health of students and teachers, the Union’s President has tabled a total of seven recommendations to the Education Ministry.

It is urging that all dorm schools be closed with immediate effect to facilitate testing of students, and that all students and staff be quarantined until their results are known. Further, it is recommending that all classes be done virtually for the next two weeks to allow for schools to be thoroughly sanitized.

“…students who tested positive [should] be immediately removed from the school’s premises and placed at a holding center,” the union recommended while adding that all family members of students and staff should also be tested.
“It is our hope that these recommendations be heeded in the interest of our citizens. Remember ‘a nation’s wealth is its health.’ Let us act wisely in these trying times,” the GTU President urged.

Further, it underscore the need for careful monitoring to be done at other schools, particularly those located within COVID19 hot spots.