Schools in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-Wesst Demerara) are not adequately retrofitted to prevent students from being infected by the deadly Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Regional Member of Parliament (MP) Ganesh Mahipaul said.
Mahipaul has expressed concerns about the Ministry of Education’s decision to partially reopen school for students preparing to sit the CSEC and CAPE examinations next year.
On Monday (November 9), school resumed for Grades 10, 11 and Sixth Form students as well as those attending Practical Centres and Technical and Vocational institutions.
“It is clear that the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, did not think through her decision and did not clearly put in place the necessary logistical arrangements for the reopening of schools. Rather, the evidence suggests that the reopening of schools was a rash, hasty and irresponsible decision,” Mahipaul said in a late night statement on Tuesday.
According to him, schools in the district were not sanitized by the Vector Control Unit to ensure the safety of students from contracting the deadly COVID-19.
Further, Mahipaul said wash sinks were constructed but with no consideration for COVID-19 protocols.
“Had COVID-19 protocols been factored in, standpipes would have been placed 6 feet apart and a mechanism to allow students to operate the taps with their feet would have been implemented so that they would not have to touch the taps with their hands,” he reasoned.
The A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) MP considers the move by the Education Minister as “extremely sad and unconscionable.”
Earlier Tuesday, General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), Coretta McDonald had also expressed similar concerns. She told reporters on Tuesday on the sidelines of the APNU+AFC protest in front of the Office of the President that the GTU lobbied for a solid plan to be put in place to guarantee the safety of teachers and students.
“I’m not sure what point the Ministry of Education or Government wants to prove but this whole aspect of rushing to reopen schools is reckless and ill-thought-out,” she said adding “GTU is not opposing the reopening of schools. GTU is saying we want to ensure that our children are safe, our teachers are safe and, by extension, the communities in which the schools are located and this nation, that they are all safe,” McDonald said.
Meanwhile, Mahipaul condemned the decision by the Region Three Regional Executive Officer, Jagnarine Somwar to reassign school buses.
“In Region 3, there are two 30 seater school buses and instead of these buses being used for their intended purpose of transporting school children, the Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Jagnarine Somwar has instructed that they be engaged in transport unrelated to the Department of Education,” he said.
Mahipaul is urging the REO to rescind his decision.
