-slams Region Four administration for dragging its feet on effecting rehabilitation  
EDUCATION Minister Shaik Baksh announced, yesterday afternoon, that contracts, worth a total of $3.2M, were signed to have correctional works started at Golden Grove Secondary School, on the East Coast  of Demerara.
He made the announcement to assure parents of students attending the institution, following an early morning picketing in front of the Agriculture and  Education Ministries yesterday.
Baksh also expressed deep concern about the negligence of the Region Four administration to carrying out critical renovation works at the Golden Grove Secondary School.
Representatives of the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) two weeks ago met with regional officials to discuss the physical conditions of the school and were given the assurance that their concerns will be addressed.
However, rehabilitation works have not yet commenced. A few frustrated members of the PTA yesterday met with Minister Baksh to chart the way forward. The minister promised to discuss the matter with Local Government and Regional Development Minister Norman Whittaker and do all within his powers to remedy the problem.
An Education Ministry team will today visit the school to assess the situation and facilitate a resolution to the problem. The team will look at issues regarding furniture, the state of the building and will convene a meeting with parents on the way forward.

Mr. Baksh, during an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, noted that while the maintenance of schools is a matter for the local government, “we have been looking into the problem and works will be carried out on the fence, gates and also electrical works will be done, among others,” he said.
Baksh said even while the school is faced with a number of small issues, sessions have not been cancelled and students should be up to date with their attendance level.
“I met with the PTA and we have discussed ways and means in correcting the problems that have been affecting the school. However, school should still be in session” he insisted.
He said that monies will be allocated in the upcoming budget for the rehabilitation of the Golden Grove Secondary School.
“Right now, we will just be carrying out correctional works on the school and, by next year, we should be ready to rehabilitate,” Baksh assured.

The ministry said it will continue to provide support to the regions in their planned repairs and maintenance programmes while recognising that they have direct responsibility for these functions in keeping with the decentralised system of education.
The education sector is operating under a decentralised system which has been in existence since the 1980s and provided for by legislation. The repairs and maintenance of schools and the provision of furniture is the direct responsibility of the Regional Democratic Councils, their Regional Education Committees and the Regional Education Departments.
The national budget provides resources to the regions for these purposes. Least it be misunderstood, the Education Ministry said it is deeply concerned at the situation at Golden Grove Secondary and in some other schools and has been working on a continuous basis with officials of these schools, the regions and the Local Government and Regional Development Ministry to correct these shortcomings.
The ministry has been forced to intervene in some of these situations as the regions’ handling of these works runs counter to the ministry’s trust of promoting safe, productive and conducive learning environments.