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“Pigeons stared me in the eye” – says Education Minister as BV school reopens after infestation cleanup
(Kaieteur News) – Teachers and students of the Beterverwagting Primary School (BV) on the East Coast of Demerara, have resumed normal sessions in the classroom, following the intervention by the Ministry of Education to address the pigeon infestation that plagued the school over the last few weeks.
Minister of Education, Sonia Parag visiting the BV Primary School on Friday.
This publication had reported that the infestation had caused the suspension of classes for pupils below grade six. On Monday, officials from the education ministry and the school confirmed that all classes returned to normalcy last Wednesday.
Minister of Education, Sonia Parag at a public consultation on Saturday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, said the classroom situation has improved tremendously.
“Yesterday (Friday) I went back to the BV school to check on the pigeon situation and some of the pigeons were in the yard and I’m giving you a frank conversation, some of the pigeons were in the yard staring me in the eyes like you can’t do me anything, but I spoke to almost every teacher in the school and every teacher reported that the classroom situation has improved tremendously over the last weeks since we implemented several measures,” she briefly stated.
The education ministry in October engaged the services of a contractor who specialises in pigeon control, mitigation, and proofing as a means of further addressing the recurring pigeon infestation at several schools along the East Coast.
The ministry in a statement at the time said the BV Primary School would be thoroughly pressure-washed and outfitted with a specific type of galvanised mesh to keep the birds out.
Some of sealing and mesh works done to section of the BV Primary Scholl in response to the pigeon infestation. (Ministry of Education photos)
“For this particular issue, given that it’s several schools, we are looking at what we can do long-term, as a government and as the Ministry of Education,” Parag was quoted as saying.
She also instructed that the school closure for the Christmas period be used to deep clean all affected schools.
“This is a problem that has been explained to me, will not go away overnight, but it will go away, hopefully within a short space of time, and over time, it will continue to reduce,” the minister said.
Further, the ministry noted that curbing the infestation may also require some behavioral changes within the community itself. Speaking on the issue, Michel Swanston Nurse, head of the technical services department (air, noise and radiation) of the EPA said, “Residents are feeding the pigeons in the vicinity of the school, and this is contributing to the bird population getting out of control.”
She reasoned that “while it may seem kind to feed them, it results in droppings from these birds in excessive amounts.” The statement noted that EPA would be working with the Guyana Wildlife Management and Conservation Commission to raise awareness, especially in areas prone to pigeon infestations.
On October 14, 2025, the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party said it was informed about the pigeon infestation in the classrooms and around the compound was severe.
“The build-up of droppings and nesting debris makes the classroom unsanitary. Pigeon waste exposes students and teachers to harmful bacteria and allergens daily,” WIN stated. The party even published images of ill students lying on chairs joined together in a classroom.
This then led to attention of education officials ordering that the school be closed so the regional administration address the situation. Having completed remedial works during that period, the school was closed again after parents protested what they said was insufficient work.
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