Latest update December 25th, 2024 1:10 AM
Latest News
- Guyanese losing millions from Govt. and Opposition’s failure to to manage oil sector
- ‘Guyana’s Stabroek Block success is like a Michelin Star Restaurant’ – Exxon official
- Gaza appeals for help as Israeli army attacks key hospitals
- Face the Press, Mr. President!
- State makes application to revoke Brutus’ bail
Berbice schools without furniture on first day
Several parents in Berbice yesterday reported that their children were not comfortably seated on the first day of school. Parents of students attending the Tutorial Academy Secondary School (TASS), Berbice Educational Institute (BEI), New Amsterdam Multilateral School (NAMS) and the Vryman’s Erven Secondary (VESS) had informed this publication of a shortage of adequate furniture at the respective schools.
Sources did indicate that children were seated three in a bench and some were standing at the Tutorial Academy and Berbice Educational Institute. Other sources told this publication that most parents of the new First Form intake at the NAMS took their own furniture for their children to be seated on the first day of the new school year.
However, the Regional Education Officer was seemingly not aware of the furniture situation.
At least one photograph provided by a parent of the Vryman’s Erven Secondary showed students sitting three in a bench and some without desks. A multi-million dollar contract was signed with the Government and Memorex Contracting Services for the construction and supply of school furniture for Berbice schools.
A class at the Vryman's Erven Secondary in New Amsterdam with hardly any furniture
Kaieteur News contacted the Regional Education Officer of Region Six, Shafiran Bhajan, to ascertain whether the schools that were experiencing the shortage on Monday received furniture during the just concluded holiday season and asked for the breakdown of allocation of furniture to the affected schools.
She said that 419 pairs of A-type and 550 pairs of B- Type furniture were distributed to Berbice schools during the holidays. She added that 70 pairs of C- type furniture will be distributed shortly to St Therese, Corriverton, All Saints and Auchlyne Primary Schools.
To ease the burden, too, she said that 30 pairs of used furniture were uplifted from a Primary -top school in the town. These were destined for the Vryman’s Erven Secondary to ease the shortage there.
She said that 13 pairs will be available shortly to the TASS. At least one classroom at the NAMS is being housed at the National Resource Centre in the NAMS Compound.
Parents have opined that they were told not to bring furniture for their children on the first day of school but yet their children had to endure a lot of discomfort on the first day. Several NAMS parents opted to bring their own combination chairs, some parents reported.
Mrs Bhajan did reveal that a $10.8M contract was signed last week with three contractors, one of whom was Bonny’s Furniture of West Berbice, for more furniture for Berbice schools.
This money had been released to the Region Six administration “to cater for full demand”, Bhajan added. “That will take care of the region’s needs, based on the inventory collected from schools”, Bhajan noted.
She and her officers, during the last school year, had visited several schools with digital cameras and had taken photographs of seating arrangements. This information, along with an assessment, was submitted to the government, who, after consideration allocated that $10.8M contract for more furniture.
Government has been spending a lot of money on the same thing each new school year. She stated that the furniture are destroyed after social events are held in school buildings across Berbice.
She further admitted that some of the furniture are not built to standard. “Quality control is a major issue.”
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Merry Christmas, Ya Filthy Animals!
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- Ah, Christmas—the season of goodwill, good cheer, and, let’s not forget, good riddance!... more
Breaking the Chains of Poverty: A need for political will
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- The year 2024 has underscored a grim reality: poverty continues to be an unyielding... more
Weekend Cartoon
