by Nicole Telford
Educators across Linden are expressing outrage over what they perceive as a blatant disregard from Guyana’s Education Ministry. According to reports gathered by Village Voice News, teachers, part-time government workers, and cleaners are facing a dire shortage of sweeper-cleaners, which has significantly impacted the maintenance of a healthy environment in the region’s schools.
Teachers have voiced their frustrations, noting that in addition to their regular duties, including class preparation and teaching aid development, they are now compelled to take on janitorial tasks such as sweeping, cleaning, and even scouring toilets due to the unavailability of cleaners. This additional workload has become a point of contention and a source of considerable stress for educators.
In a system where part-time government workers, known locally as “10-day workers,” are already stretched thin, the situation is exacerbated. At some schools, these workers are split into two groups: one serving as teaching assistants and the other as sweeper-cleaners. Yet, this bifurcation of roles is not being effectively implemented. Both teachers and part-time teaching assistants report being forced to perform cleaning duties, a responsibility they say should be shouldered by a full complement of sweeper-cleaners. The discontent among these part-time teaching assistants is palpable, especially given their modest salary of 40,000 per month.
In response to these issues, Village Voice News reached out to Education Minister Priya Manickchand, who expressed her lack of awareness regarding the school closures and maintained that the regional administrations are responsible for managing these affairs. When prompted about the staffing shortfalls, Minister Manickchand denied knowledge of any deficiency in sweeper-cleaners and deferred to the Region 10 Chairman for further insights.
Region 10 Chairman Deron Adams acknowledged the predicament, admitting the regional administration’s oversight in failing to establish adequate systems for welcoming students back to school. He referenced the recent statutory meeting, streamed live, where the Regional Education Officer (REDO) was discussed, highlighting that the regional body’s role is policy-making and prioritizing student safety and school readiness.
However, he clarified, “The regional chairman does not award nor execute projects,” suggesting that inquiries regarding operational matters, such as the hiring of sweeper-cleaners, should be directed elsewhere.
Adding to the unfolding situation, Wisburg Secondary School in Wisroc, Linden, and New Silver City Secondary schools have been shuttered due to flea infestations. Headteacher of Wisburg Secondary, Colleen Joseph announced a temporary three-day closure for extermination efforts. In the meantime, teachers are advising parents to remain vigilant against the potential spread of fleas via students’ personal items.
As the Wisburg Secondary School enters its second day of closure, the Regional Education Officer has yet to issue a statement following a prompt disconnection of a call from this publication, and the Ministry of Education remains silent on the matter. This leaves the educators of Linden in limbo, with their calls for support and action echoing unanswered.
