A FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD secondary school student, who was convicted of wandering, has been put on probation for one year.
The edict, by Magistrate Adela Nagamootoo, said, during that time, the teen, from Angoy’s Avenue, also in New Amsterdam, must get counselling from the Probation and Welfare Services.
The girl’s mother had reported her missing because of her absence from home for an extended period after she left to attend a gospel crusade.
The teenager told Probation and Welfare Officer Maisie Sheppard that her reason for absconding from home was due to her being subjected to abuse.
On September 28, last, after three days away from home, the youngest of six children was seen walking along Stanleytown Public Road in Berbice where she was arrested by Police on mobile patrol.
Sheppard, in her report to the Court, said the girl’s father contributes $3,000 weekly to his children’s support and that is supplemented by her mother’s $6,000 weekly wage from Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).
The compilation said the student’s interpersonal relations with her teachers at Vryman’s Erven Secondary School is unsatisfactory and her traits characterize her as a bully, indisciplined, disrespectful, lackadaisical and unreliable.
Her class teacher, Ms. Roxanne Gomes confirmed her indisciplined disposition is a major challenge to herself and peers and has resulted in a below average academic performance.
The Acting Headteacher, Ms. Marian Seeraj indicated that the wanderer is not focused and shows no interest in academic work. Consequently, she secured 20 per cent marks, overall, at the last end of term examination.
Seeraj blamed the teen’s mother, who, she said, would take her daughter out of school during classes to do chores and errands, resulting in the girl being absent for 17 of 62 days.
Sheppard concluded that the teenager lacks adequate guidance and supervision.