Latest update March 26th, 2026 7:55 AM
Zeeburg Secondary battles bats, pigeons, crumbling structure
(Kaieteur News) – The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Party is calling on the Ministries of Education, Local Government and Regional Development, and the Region Three Regional Democratic Council to urgently intervene at Zeeburg Secondary School, where teachers and students are reportedly facing bat and pigeon infestations, foul odours and dangerous structural failures.
In a statement on Wednesday, WIN reported being alerted to worsening conditions at the school, including animal infestation in classrooms and surrounding areas, and cracked or collapsing sections of the building. The party published images highlighting the deteriorating state of the institution. “These bats and pigeons expose teachers and students to unsanitary conditions, foul odors, and health hazards. We believe that the exposure to these pests has led to a notable increase in respiratory discomfort and other illnesses,” WIN stated.
Section of the Zeeburg Secondary School which is facing severe infestation and structural failures.
The opposition party further noted that from the reports reaching them, no effective or lasting corrective measures have been taken to address the issue, and that teachers are forced to take on the personal expense of installing mesh and wooden boards to limit further entry for bats and pigeons.
Equally alarming, the party noted is the structural failures around the school’s compound. WIN indicated that it finds these conditions completely unacceptable. “WIN emphasises that teachers are educators, not maintenance personnel, and such remedial and structural work must be the responsibility of the relevant authorities. WIN therefore calls on the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Local Government and Regional Chairman (3) to immediately assess and conduct repairs to Zeeburg Secondary School where needed,” the party stated.
Kaieteur News understands that Zeeburg Secondary School which opened in 2016 currently has close to 600 students and over 50 teachers. On Wednesday, concerned teachers and parents confirmed with this publication that the school is indeed facing an infestation problem and structural failures for some time now. Sharing images with this newspaper, a PTA Executive member informed that the beam in her child’s classroom has started to crumble and though the situation has been reported multiple times during meetings, nothing has been done to address it. Worried that the infrastructure may one day collapse and hurt those present in the classroom, the parent is calling on authorities to fix this and other failures at the building. Speaking on the infestation, the parent described “The smell is so pungent sometimes and the noise the pigeons make. Some of the desk have poop in the morning the cleaners have to be there early in the morning to clean it.”
One teacher, who requested anonymity, mentioned the infestation has been an issue for some years now with the droppings and odour raising concerns. While some section has been blocked off, the pigeons and bats still find ways to enter the classrooms. Another educator highlighted that, just over a year now, some parts of the school started to “flake and crack.”
Regional Chairman of Region Three, Sheik Ayube in the compound at the school, where it was alleged had the presence of snakes.
“Sometime, last month in a staff room, a part of the ceiling collapsed, the concrete ceiling came down early in the morning,” they recalled to this publication.
Kaieteur News understands that after images surfaced on social media of the condition of the school, Regional Officials through their contractors started to conduct some works to address the pigeon and bats infestation. As it relates to the infrastructure of school, Kaieteur News was informed that authorities are considering to breakdown the building and reconstruct a new one. A decision on this is yet to be made.
Meanwhile, WIN had reported and published images that among the problems affecting the school is the presence of snakes in the compound. Responding to this, Regional Chairman Sheik Ayube via a Facebook post refuted these allegations. Upon a visit to the school on Wednesday, the chairman confirmed that the “circulating photo was an old picture and not related to the current situation at the school.”
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