Latest update December 19th, 2024 3:22 AM
Overcrowding at Hinterland dormitory causes frustration
Students of Paramakatoi Secondary School going to access water several miles away
Persons living along Guyana’s coastline often take many things for granted; things like running water, electricity, vehicles and roadways. But just a few hours’ flight away from the coast, atop the mountains of Region Eight, in the village of Paramakatoi, many persons are happily living without many of these things and are affected by a number of social issues.
Speaking with this newspaper yesterday were a number of displeased residents from Paramakatoi, who expressed their frustration at the current state in which the village’s dormitory has been for the past two years. It was noted that it is so overcrowded that beds are being placed into the hallways so as to accommodate students.
Kaieteur News understands that the capacity of the dormitory is 250 and the facility currently houses approximately 350 students.
As such the parents of these students, as well as residents, are calling on the Education Ministry to accelerate the process for the construction of the Kato complex which is located also in the Pakaraimas, and is the nearest village to Paramakatoi.
This complex will consist of a secondary school and a dormitory. It is hoped that upon completion of this facility, the number of students housed at the Paramakatoi dormitory will be significantly decreased. Currently, that is the only dormitory that can facilitate these students since most if not all of them come from far-off villages, making it impossible for them to traverse daily.
Meanwhile, Kaieteur News sought comments from the Regional Education Officer (REO) of Region Eight, Marcia Paddy-Andrews, and Regional Chairman Mark Crawford, who both confirmed overcrowding at the dormitory.
The REO said that she has been in discussion with officials from the Education Ministry since 2011 to address the issue, adding that she was informed last week by the Permanent Secretary of the Education Ministry that the Kato Complex will not be completed until 2015, since the project depends on the completion of the Amaila Falls Hydro Electric Project. She noted that approval was granted two years ago for the construction of the Kato Complex.
Andrews added that the region is now looking at the possibility of shuttling some of the students from Paramakatoi to the dormitory in Mahdia, so as to ease the overcrowding.
Regional Chairman Crawford also called on the Education Ministry to play its part in speeding up the construction process since the situation will cause a number of students who sat the recently concluded National Grade Six Assessment to remain in their primary schools because there is not space at the Paramakatoi dormitory to accommodate them.
This, he opined, will be a setback to the development of their early secondary education.
And the Region is also asking for the construction of a well, which was promised a while now, to commence as soon as possible, since the students have to walk several miles to access water from a creek. It was also pointed out that some of the students are involved in sexual activities while at the creek.
The mountaintop village, home to some 1000 people, attracts many children from various parts of Region Eight to the nursery, primary and secondary schools located there.
The schools’ total population is 500, with almost 300 of these students from Paramakatoi itself.
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