— students’ attendance, performance improve since operation of David G boats in Pomeroon River

JUST over 18 months ago since its introduction, the two David G speedboats donated by President David Granger himself to improve access to education by students in the Pomeroon, have been making a positive impact.

Boat captains Nicholas Gonsalves and Percival Samuels told the Guyana Chronicle that with the vessels now at their disposal, more students from the deep riverine communities are attending secondary schools on the Essequibo Coast.
Prior to its introduction, parents, depending on the distance they live in the river, paid as much as $5000 to transport their children to school.
Many had complained about the burdensome transportation costs and related their plight to Mr Granger, who was Leader of the Opposition at the time, and who promised to address their concerns.

Soon after being elected to office in the 2015 Regional and General Elections, the President set about fulfilling his promises and boats were distributed to the people of The Pomeroon, among a number of other riverine communities.
This gesture, which is part of the President’s 5Bs Initiative (boat, bicycles, buses, books and breakfast), has been warmly welcomed by residents as it has helped to fill a conspicuous void in education in some far-flung communities.
And this is while the physical infrastructure is there (schools) students’ access is a challenge due to unaffordable transportation costs, among other issues.
The initiative was geared at enhancing students’ attendance at school in a school system affected by a high dropout rate, poor attendance and performance and truancy in remote areas.
In most of these areas, education is seen as a past time rather than a priority.
“Without investment in our education, the future of this country is highly uncertain and so anything that we do [to] add to this investment is crucial,” the President had said at the handing over of the boat gifted by CGX Energy incorporated.

The boats ply as far as St John’s, some 20 miles from Charity downriver and Karawab, about 50 miles upriver from the bustling port at Charity, not far away from where cane juice and eggball sellers vend their trade.
It was raining persistently at the time the Guyana Chronicle visited the port, but boat operators resolutely stood close to the river dam waiting for passengers.
Gonsalves and Samuels sat quietly under a narrow tent as they watched villagers chat and play domino close by.
They told this publication that the vast majority of the 60 students they transport from the Pomeroon to Charity attend the Charity Secondary School, while a few attend the 8th of May Secondary School and Anna Regina Multilateral.
On a visit to the Charity Secondary School, the headteacher was not present, but a senior teacher who was holding for her.
She expressed a willingness to speak with the Guyana Chronicle, but requested anonymity, citing a rule that bars public servants from speaking to the media.

‘VERY GOOD’
She related that since the advent of the boats donated by the President, attendance from students in the Pomeroon though not “excellent” has been “very good” and they have also shown signs of academic improvement.
But the senior teacher noted that there are a few challenges.

“What we have found is when we gave the students homework; in the majority of cases they do not complete it. It is not that they are tardy with their work. We have a library that they can use and a computer lab. The school was also recently connected to the e-Government network and we have faster access to the Internet. The challenge is that at four ‘o’ clock (16:00hrs) they have to catch the boat so they do not have much time at the library and when they eventually reach home, it is dark and they do not have access to electricity.”
The boats donated by the President transport a fix number of students who are registered by the respective captains.
The senior teacher also pointed out that a few poor parents of students from the Pomeroon who have not been registered to travel with the David G boats have indicated that they would be taking their children out of school.
They complained of the high transportation cost and the Charity Secondary School teacher said it would be great if the region could get a new boat.
Rudolph Garraway, a member of a committee setup to manage the boats told Guyana Chronicle that he is aware of the plight of the parents and would be looking to acquire a new boat.

NEW BOAT
“We collect a minimal fee of $200 from each student, we use some of that money to do emergency repairs but the rest is sitting in the bank, over $700,000. At some point in time, we will be looking to acquire a new boat because we are beginning to see the need for another one,” he said.
Repairs to the boats, he said are funded by prominent Charity businessman Alfro Alphonso while the region provides fuel and pays the captains and bowmen.
The committee member also pointed out that monies spent to do minor repairs on the boats are not refunded by the region and most of the repairs are done on weekends and holidays.
Due to the distance and heavy rains, this publication was unable to get into contact with any of the parents of students who utilise the boats, but Gonsalves and Samuels said from the feedback received, the parents are very thankful for the initiative by the President.
“Hardly a student who is registered with the boat does not turn up to go to school,” Gonsalves said as Samuels nod in affirmation.