By Vanessa Braithwaite

THERE has been a significant increase in children being transported by one of the two boats donated by President David Granger last month for children residing up the Demerara River in the Linden area. Regional Education Officer, Marcia Andrews told this publication that the boat made its first trip last Thursday, transporting 21 children down the river to attend their respective schools. That number spiraled three days later as 33 children were dressed in their uniforms yesterday waiting to be transported. The REO is positive that these children’s school attendances were hampered because of a lack of transportation and she is of the opinion that more children will be coming forward to benefit from the transportation. This will result in the boat making three trips instead of two. Every morning, the boat journeys as far as the community of Gold Hill and transports children to attend the Regma Primary, the Christianburg Primary and the Christianburg Wismar Secondary School.
Andrews said that a welfare officer would visit the community to ascertain other issues parents might be facing in having the children attend school so that the necessary assistance can be rendered. “Maybe it is a case where they don’t have uniforms or lunch so we will see how best we can help them,” she said. The Regional Education Officer has the responsibility of providing 50 gallons of fuel weekly. Wages will be paid to the captain and “boat hand” who will be permanently employed after receiving their maritime license.

BERBICE RIVER
The other boat contributed by President Granger is used to transport the children living up the Berbice River. These children who live in communities such as Arraculi and Upper Rosenburg attend primary and nursery schools at Kimbia. Currently 23 children benefit from this transportation and the Education Office supplies 15 gallons of fuel per week. The boat is responsible for making four trips per day as it returns during the midday hours to transport the nursery children home. President Granger, at the commissioning of the boats described the transportation situation as a plight which resulted in scores of children dropping out of school every month. “Every month children are dropping out of school because they cannot afford the transportation cost to go to school. At 11 and 12 years children are already out of school,” stressed the President.
5 NOT 3
President Granger said that providing transportation was just part of the solution and that was why he had added breakfast and bursary to the previous equation of boat, bicycle and bus, as he was cognizant that children were facing more than transportation issues. He said that it not logical to have a child paddle to school on a hungry stomach as this would affect his or her performance in school. “If children go to school hungry they will fall down and sleep,” said President Granger. He said that a plan was already in the initial stages to provide breakfast for children of limited means. The breakfast would include milk and rolls with nut butter. The President also revealed that the children who could not afford other expenses would be given a bursary or scholarship to assist them in completing their education. “If you don’t have transportation we will provide it for you, if you don’t have food we will provide breakfast for you, if you don’t have money we will provide a bursary,” said the President.
President Granger said that he would be backing Region 10 in whatever way possible to have every child go to school, as not having education makes one unemployable. “The constitution says that education is a requirement and I want to fulfill this requirement,” posited President Granger. He urges every mother, every father and every councilor to make sure every child goes to school. He said that he believed in an equal society and that could only be built if everyone received equal education.