BERBICE High School featured prominently in the news recently when a teacher there gave a thrashing to some twenty – eight students for not submitting an SBA assignment. This beating brought an irate response from some of the parents of those involved to the point that the Minister of Education was called in to take action. He responded by sacking the teacher a decision he later rescinded to having her make an apology to the students as well as forego two years of promotion.

There are certain elements of this story that have me deeply disturbed. Firstly, why did the minister have to intervene into a matter that simply called for an apology from the teacher who over extended herself, clearly no one was hurt or injured by the flogging. Is there a medical report somewhere from any of the victims? Certainly not! So why did the minister intervene. I conducted my own investigation into this matter and found that apparently it was the action of some of the parents of those aggrieved who exerted pressure on the minister to act.

I am a proud product of Berbice High, it is my Alma Mater and I am very much concerned with the goings on there. As I write this article I am livid with anger. I do hope the Ministry quickly intervene and correct this grave injustice to the teachers of this school.
NEIL ADAMS
Guyanese Teacher