Latest update January 20th, 2025 4:00 AM
Villagers assault Woodley Park School boys
Screengrab taken from the cell phone recorded video of the suspects leaving the school compound with pieces of wood in their hands.
– One arrested
Kaieteur News – The Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday stated that one person is presently in police custody for the alleged assault of several male students at the Woodley Park Secondary School, West Coast Berbice, and Region Five.
Based on the allegations made, the school boys were reportedly attacked after noon on Friday, by several men of Woodley Park Village.
A cell phone video of the incident showing several persons armed with pieces of wood walking around the school compound was reportedly posted on Facebook by a parent of a student attending the school and it reportedly went viral.
In the caption of the video the parent stated, “This is what is happening to our school children, yesterday afternoon several African children from the Woodley Park Secondary School were attacked by out of school boys of Woodley Park village. After physically abusing the children, they said this is a coolie area; black man not supposed to be here”.
Members of the Opposition including Shadow Minister of Education, Natasha Singh-Lewis made calls for a thorough investigation to be launched and on Sunday afternoon the Home Affairs Ministry stated, “The police have already begun an investigation into the matter, and one person is currently in custody”.
According to the ministry, investigators have already engaged the head teacher of the school and students. Information gathered from the engagement led them to make contact with two persons, an adult and a child.
The ministry also related that another planned engagement will be held between the police, teachers and the students of the secondary school, to further aid with ongoing investigations.
Meanwhile, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand assured that the matter “will be fully investigated both by the Guyana Police Force (GPF) as well as the Regional Education Department”.
“…And as soon as those findings are available, I will make them public”, Manickchand said while adding that measures will be put in place to keep students attending school safe.
She warned too, “… Anyone who attempts to interfere with that will be dealt with condignly”.
The Education Minister and the Home Affairs Ministry and the Opposition have all condemned “all occurrences of racially motivated attacks, particularly on our schoolchildren”.
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