A BAT infested ceiling, rotten corridors and railings, along with missing windows and a porous roof, are some of the causes for concern at the Rose Hall Estate Primary School, which has 292 pupils on roll.The rundown condition of the two-storey wooden and concrete building was brought to the attention of the Regional Democratic Council during its statutory meeting last Thursday by Education Committee member, Bruce Causway, called ‘Carlos’.

In an emotional presentation Causway lamented the need for urgent works, since a Grade Three teacher had to seek medical attention after being diagnosed with an upper respiratory tract infection.

This newspaper was informed too that many students over the past months suffered from coughs and colds, while experiencing burning sensations to the nasal orifice. However, it was not confirmed that their illness was caused by their school environment.

However, absenteeism has increased in the affected classrooms and the entire western upper block has been abandoned due to the bat-infested ceiling.

Recently two teachers, along with three students on separate occasions, were left suspended on the corridor’s flooring on the western side of the building after the rotting floor boards broke under their weight.

The teachers and their pupils had walked unknowingly on the rotting lumber. They had to be assisted by fellow staff members who were nearby. Since then, school furniture is being used to block persons from traversing that walkway.

The Grade Three classrooms, which were in the affected area, are currently being housed in the school’s library, after the pupils also complained of a scratching throat and itching skin.

But as the Grade Three students await the intervention of the relevant authorities, their peers at Grade Six have to contend with leaky roofs and missing windows.
During a visit at the school, the Guyana Chronicle observed that many glass window panes were missing and while it was not raining on Friday, the porousness of the roof was still visible.
Meanwhile, when contacted last Saturday, Chairman of the Education Regional Committee, Zamal Hussain, told this newspaper that a contract for $1.4 million had been awarded to Deow Soeknandan, following the opening of tender board awards on Friday.

As a result, corrective works are expected to commence at the learning institution during this week.

The Rose Hall Estate Primary School came into existence following a merger with Reliance Primary School in 1996.  The school targets students from Adelphi, Goed Bananen Land and Canefield Villages in East Canje.

In 2008, Jenene Bassant of Rose Hall Estate Primary School emerged among the country’s high flyers at the Grade Six National Assessment, gaining a place at the prestigious Queens’s College.