.jpg)
A section of the school, which is located at Canal Number One Polder, West Bank of Demerara, was destroyed by fire on Wednesday, the third day of the new school year, displacing 699 students.
Ministry of Education, Public Relations Officer, Suelle Williams told Guyana Chronicle yesterday that after several venues were considered, it was felt that this property was the most suitable short-term solution with its capacity to accommodate the displaced students.
The Grade 7 students of the school resumed classes yesterday in the annex of the school, which was not affected by the fire. All stakeholders are expected to come together to ensure that Singh’s building is habitable for classes to re-commence on Monday, and this includes having adequate furniture for the students.
Meanwhile, the morning blaze was suspected to have been electrical in origin and Headmistress, Althea Stewart told Guyana Chronicle on the scene of the fire that she was at the Ministry of Education office in Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara when she was informed, by telephone, of the occurrence.
The distressed woman had said that she hurried there and observed that the building was engulfed in flames while the lone female night security guard was off-duty.
Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam had told reporters, at the location, that the flames were first seen about 07:30 hrs but not many students or teachers were present and the Guyana Fire Service (GFS) was alerted and responded in good time to contain the fire which ripped through the middle part of the two-storey wooden building.
Sam had also stated that reports indicated that the fire started in the administrative block, which houses a number of classrooms, the office of the headmistress and a computer room, and some records were burnt.
When asked whether reconstruction would be done shortly, Sam had said that Education Minister, Priya Manickchand assured him of the children being able to return to normalcy at the school.
