In a scathing public indictment of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government’s failure to provide basic support to hinterland educators and students, incoming Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and his We
Invest In Nationhood (WIN) party have sounded the alarm over what they describe as deplorable, unsafe, and inhumane conditions in several remote communities.
In a social media post WIN on behalf of the teachers from Wallaba Primary School in Region 1 made a direct appeal to Minister of Public Service Sonia Parag, urging her to break the pattern of neglect that, the Party say, has defined her predecessor, Education Minister Priya Manickchand’s tenure.
“[Minister Sonia] Parag, the people of the hinterlands are depending on you to do better than your predecessor, Priya [Manickchand],” the post states plainly.
According to WIN, supported by photographic evidence, conditions at Wallaba Primary are dire.
“There is no electricity at the teacher’s quarters. Three weeks into the new school term, and the teacher’s quarters remain uninhabitable due to infestations of rats, bats, and other pests,” the party report.s
Forced to seek shelter with colleagues due to unsafe living quarters, teachers are also contending with financial distress, some having been paid only half their salaries. Despite repeated complaints and unfulfilled promises from education authorities, the issues remain unresolved.
“They are having to deal with heavy bureaucracy, going through several chains of command and to no avail,” the statement continues.
“While they remain committed to educating the nation’s children, they cannot do so under unsafe living conditions and with financial strain.”
WIN says the teachers and parents are resorting to public appeals out of desperation, alleging that the Ministry of Education only acts when issues gain public attention.
“They divert resources where there is much visibility, like on the coastland and neglect the hinterland regions,” WIN noted.
From Dorm Fire to Dropouts: A Systemic Crisis
WIN also revisited the May 21, 2023 Mahdia dormitory fire — a national tragedy that claimed the lives of 20 children — highlighting how, more than two years later, the government has failed to develop sustainable education solutions for displaced and rural students in Region 8.
In a second post titled “From Dorm Fire to Dropouts”, WIN criticised the PPP administration for abandoning its obligations to hinterland students from Karapow, Chenapow, Kamanah, Kamana, Muruwa, Wailang, Sandhill, Karisparu, Micobie, and Kopinang.
“No proper arrangements have been made for the hundreds of students in the surrounding communities… Children… are deprived of access to education, as the Paramakatoi and Kato Secondary schools are overcrowded, the dorms are full and it is impossible for students from these areas to travel daily through the mountainous terrain,” the post explains.
As a result, many students remain home indefinitely — with devastating social consequences.
“Not having available rooms at the two secondary schools in the Region results in many students staying home from school until they eventually drop out, which in turn has ripple effects of drug use and teenage pregnancies.”
The group is now demanding immediate intervention from the Ministry of Education.
“The neglect of our young people in the hinterland is unconscionable. This administration abandoned its duty to protect and educate the nation’s children.”
Among its urgent recommendations, WIN is calling for stable internet access and the introduction of online learning as a short-term solution for students in remote areas.
“Region 8 students should, at minimum, have access to stable internet and have the option of online learning in the interim.”
With Azruddin Mohamed and WIN turning up the heat on the PPP government, the deepening crisis in Guyana’s hinterland schools is capturing national attention. While the coastland enjoys steady infrastructural upgrades and expanded budgets, the interior — home to thousands of Indigenous and rural children — remains mired in bureaucratic indifference and political neglect.
Whether this mounting pressure will finally force the government to act is uncertain. But for now, Mohamed and WIN are giving a platform to voices long ignored.
