Some private schools face closure

Jul 20, 2008 News

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NEW AMSTERDAM, BERBICE – Region Six Education Officer Shafiran Bhajan has announced that several ‘bottom house’ schools in Region Six are facing closure if they do not shape up by the new academic year.
Already, action has been taken against one such. The Department of Education closed the Berbice Educational College at Scottsburg on the Corentyne before the Easter vacation, after they failed to satisfy the requirements of the non-academic norm.
The administrators of that institution were given adequate notice but still did not shape up.
These disclosures were made at a recent press briefing at the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council in New Amsterdam.
Among the other institutions hanging by a string are the Singh’s Private School, Bacchus Private School and the New Amsterdam Community Developers Secondary School.
These institutions all failed to meet the requirements of the non-academic norm stipulated by the Ministry of Education. The Department of Education had granted them some time to get things in order.
The conditions to be satisfied under the non-academic norm include, inter alia, the stipulated size of the building and classrooms, the number of sanitary facilities, space for recreation, equipment used for learning, audio/visual equipment pupil/teacher ratio, learning environment, text books, teachers’ qualifications and curriculum guide.
These are some of the requirements to be met before recognition can be given by the Ministry of Education to operate as a private school.
There are dozens of these institutions that call themselves private schools in East Berbice/Corentyne.
Many of these literally operate from bottom houses and feature several shortcomings, including poor ventilation, lack of adequate sanitary facilities, congested learning area and inadequate teachers, among other things.
According to the Regional Education Officer, the drive to stamp out these establishments began early in 2006, but has since intensified.
Many of the institutions have up to the beginning of the new academic year — September 1 — to get their act together or face closure.
A source from the Education Ministry said, “I know these bottom house schools would have their own interests in mind, but they should really consider the social, emotional, intellectual and other areas of development of these children.”
Education officials have been visiting these private schools to ensure that they were in keeping with the non-academic norm.
The closure of the Berbice Educational College at Scottsburg was recommended by the Regional Education and Training Committee after a meeting on February 5 last.
The Guyana Business School at Tain and the Hujja Islamic School at Number Sixty-Eight Village on the Corentyne both satisfied the requirements and were granted permission to operate as private schools.
The Darul-Arquam Academy at Number Seventy-Eight Village satisfied most of the prerequisites. Tiara’s Academy in New Amsterdam also met most of the requirements.

 

The Berbice Islamic School at Portuguese Quarters at Port Mourant, the Alpha Max in New Amsterdam, and the Berbice Islamic School in New Amsterdam met some of the requirements.
There is also the case of those institutions that have been operating for many years and had never seen it fit to apply for permission to establish themselves until the authorities swooped down on them.
According to Mrs. Bhajan, the RVC Private School in New Amsterdam applied just before the Easter term. She said that the Berbice Educational School never got registered, and from all indications no longer exists; or, at least, the location from which they operate is unknown.
Tiara’s Academy, the RVC Private School, Alpha Max Private School, Berbice Islamic School at Portuguese Quarters, Port Mourant, and the New Amsterdam Islamic School were in order when the team of Education officials visited. But their problem had to do with the external environment.
This they have promised to have upgraded, and the Department has granted them up to the new academic year to get their act together.
School of the Nation applied last September, but since the institution is an established one in Georgetown, it was classified as one that should be recommended for September.
The Guyana Business School, which began operation in New Amsterdam last September, is recognized and was given the okay.
The Regional Education and Training Committee also recommended that the Department of Education moves to ensure that all of these private institutions are registered and brought up to date with the policies of the Education Ministry.
Many of these private institutions have been performing moderately at examinations.
“Some of the students at these bottom house schools are not academically inclined. There are quite a few students who left the public school system, went to the private school and ended up right back at the public school. Our mission is equal access to quality education for all Guyanese children. So we have to take them back.”

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