7th Grade (First Form) children are now forced to learn in an environment not conducive to learning and teaching
Tents have been erected in school yards to facilitate overcrowding. These tents are not equipped with appropriate ventilation and the flooring is the earth.
The unusual and inhospitable environment Village Voice is told is the result of the Ministry of Education ignoring advice from respective Head Teachers of their school’s capacity to accommodate Grade 7th children for the new school year.
Village Voice was also informed this is the first time there is an increase in students writing the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) exams but no space for them.
Village Voice reached out to the Guyana Teachers Union for comment on the situation.
Ms. Coretta McDonald, the Union’s General Secretary said the situation is most unfortunate, as she pointed out the government knew before hand the schools do not have the capacity to house the children.
According to her, ” the uncaring government is behaving as though Guyana had a storm and the schools were destroyed and children are now being housed in tents,” but not without making it known the students affected are from a particular socio economic demographic.
