THE staff of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre is very happy with the new building that they recently occupied through a $50M investment by Government.
But they are looking forward to having more teachers.

The edifice, at Lot 131-132 Carmichael Street, Georgetown, was commissioned by President Donald Ramotar last January 20.
However, both the School Administrator, Ms. Cynthia Massay and its Headmaster, Mr. Anand Mangru, said they need additional teachers, who are specifically trained to deal with children suffering disabilities, as Guyana has very few.
Speaking to the Guyana Chronicle on Wednesday, Massay said the institution has partnered with Peace Corps Guyana and is, consequently, expecting a Peace Corps member there soon.
She hopes that education specialist will assist in crafting the school’s curriculum for special needs.
“We are happy with the new building. We had outgrown the old building, so we needed something more conducive to learning. The building reaches international standards and has all of the needed features,” Massay acknowledged.
Meanwhile, Mangru, who has been the Headteacher for the last ten years, also expressed his happiness with the present building.

Very comfortable
“We are very comfortable and we feel very proud of where we are working,” he remarked, recalling that it was very difficult to get the children upstairs in the previous building.
A ramp was there but it was dilapidated and porters had to assist the children to reach where their classes were being conducted.
“The old building was congested, so we thank God for the new building,” Mangru declared, noting that the present accommodation is at ground level and access is very easy for the children, also from various angles.
There are two fans in each classroom and every child has a small cubicle to lodge their belongings. Furthermore, Mangru said the washroom facilities are better accessible for use.
He said the centre, currently, has seven teachers, although more are required to deal with the number of children in the school.
Sixty-five students are registered but all of them do not attend school each day.
The Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre was originally established, by the Ministry of Health, in January 1967 to provide rehabilitative services for children who suffered residual paralysis following the 1960 and 1964 poliomyelitis epidemics.
With control of that disease and, therefore, the subsequent reduction of those types of cases, the Centre developed into an organisation providing comprehensive programmes in rehabilitation for children with various kinds of physical and other developmental disabilities.
Written By Telesha Ramnarine