Education Minister closes Patentia Secondary

Sep 03, 2009 News

– faults Region for not having it prepared for Sept. 1 opening

By Sharmain Cornette

A wasp nest outside Head Mistress, Ms Beverly Leicth’s office window

Parents consult with Ms Raelene Phillips (centre). Also in picture are several of the displaced students.

Senior Education Minister, Shaik Baksh, is seeking an explanation from the Region Three Education Department as to why the Patentia Secondary School was not prepared for the scheduled September 1 opening date for public schools.
According to the Minister at a press conference yesterday, the state of the school has forced him to close it until next Monday, by which time it is expected to be in a better condition to accommodate both teachers and students.
He did not fail to point out that it was the responsibility of the Regional Education Department to ensure that the school was in an acceptable condition. The Minister revealed that it was only based on reports reaching the Ministry, from sources other than the Department, that he became aware that there was even a problem that it was not ready for opening, as there was builders waste strewn about the compound, creating not only an unsafe but also an unsightly environment.
The Minister highlighted yesterday that although a new wing of the school is currently under construction that area is clearly demarcated thus has not been the reason for the decision to close the school.
“It is a case where they should have cleaned the compound and I have given the order to close the school and reopen it on Monday…but I am seeking an explanation from the Regional people, especially the Regional Education Officer, as to why this was not drawn to the attention of the authorities so that we could have taken all measures to have the environment ready,” the Minister stressed.
During a visit at the school yesterday morning, scores of students were seen traversing the corridors with nothing to do. They related when questioned by this newspaper that they were not afforded accommodation in the school since it opened on Monday.
According to Guyana Teachers’ Union Representative and teacher at the School, Raelene Phillips-Andrews, while sections of the environs are covered with waste, the major problem at the school is overpopulation.
Phillips related to this newspaper that when school opened on Monday there was no available accommodation for at least three third form classes. As a result, close to 100 students have not been taught, since teachers have refused to teach the children in the corridors, she added.
She explained that the first formers did not find themselves in the predicament as a decision was taken by teachers to ensure that they were properly oriented into the system.
The Union Representative related that about 78 students were sent off by the school following the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations but almost double that amount, a total of 150, were enrolled through the National Grade Six Assessment.
“We are having more than 70 additional students and we have nowhere to put these students that are lining the corridor. So we, the teachers of Patentia, have decided that we are not going to work under these conditions we are not going to stand and teach these children…Our responsibility is to teach in a classroom.”
And according to Phillips, although it was initially thought that the Patentia School would also be accommodated in the new wing, currently under construction, there have been reports that the Wales Community High would be transferred there. She disclosed that for the past nine months school sessions, even the sitting of CSEC, were repeatedly affected by the ongoing construction work. It was expected that the works would have been completed last month.
“How is it that they can put on an extension for another school on our school? We were not even notified, no team came here to meet with the staff and whenever we would have made any comments we kept getting calls from the big boys in town…We couldn’t complain about the noise and we can’t continue to endure this situation, we can’t accept this anymore,” Phillips insisted.
According to her, the teachers of the schools have been reliably informed that they will remain in the old building which no longer has an Art Room, compliments of the contractors.
Phillips disclosed that the contractors claimed that they were instructed to remove the Art Room and are not obligated to replace it.

Some builders waste in the school’s compound

And since the commencement of the new wing, Phillips said that a temporary walkway, which is currently flanked by overgrowth, was created for them as the new wing is situated in front of the old school building.
The new structure has also taken up the space which was utilised as a playfield for the students, leaving nothing but a bushy area on the northern side of the school for that purpose.
And the Department of Education, Phillips noted, has been well aware of the situation, but yet had not taken any action to correct the myriad issues. “An officer visited here yesterday afternoon (Monday) and she saw what is going on here but yet nothing has changed.”
Several parents were present at the school yesterday to share their concerns about the problems being faced by the school.
When this newspaper attempted to garner a comment from the Head Mistress of the school, Ms Beverly Leitch, she related that the Department of Education was already dealing with the matter. A glance outside of Ms Leitch’s office window revealed ample evidence that the school was really not prepared to be opened as a sizeable wasp (marabunta) nest was hanging on a rafter. That nest was only one of the several that were visible around the school building.
It was not until this afternoon, though, that Minister Baksh became aware of the magnitude of the situation at the school and ordered that the school be closed.
According to the Minister, with the completion of the new wing, the Patentia School will have additional space to accommodate about 800 students. And since the Wales Community High building will be converted to a primary school, the Minister said that the students there will be incorporated into the Patentia Secondary School population.