ALMOST 200 students in the South Pakaraimas are now receiving access to secondary education closer to the communities, with the recent establishment of a secondary department at the Karasabai Primary school.

Previously, many of the children would have to travel great distances and stay in dormitories to attend the Annai and St. Ignatius Secondary Schools where, over the years, overcrowding had become an issue.

However, to remedy the situation, representatives from the Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) area, Marlon Edwards and Ronald Lee-Bing met with senior government officials.

“They had a plan to put in place a secondary department at Karasabai Primary school, which was to be done early next year, but because we met with them and explained the urgency of the situation, they brought it forward,” Edwards said.

Now a secondary department exists at Karasabai Primary which began functioning in September and now helps to relieve the congestion at the two schools.

Lee- Bing told this newspaper that students passing the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) Examination, who would have had to previously leave their homes, now have a more favourable option.

“Because of the opening of the secondary department in Karasabai, we’ve been able to accommodate 191 students now benefiting from this initiative,” he said.
Edwards added that along with students from Karasabai, those from neighbouring villages such as Tiger Pond are also attending and parents are now able to save financially and see their children every day.

Lee- Bing said, too, that some teachers who are native to the village and who had been previously stationed in Annai and St. Ignatius, have now received the opportunity to return home to teach in the new department.

“It’s a big achievement, because the residents of Karasabai they have been pleading for something to happen in regards to a secondary school for so many years; and now they have gotten one,” Edwards said.

Also relating to the youth, the men were able to assist several young people in furthering their education through training programmes in some of the country’s main towns.

These locations include the Charles Rosa School of Nursing in Linden and E. R. Burrowes School of Art in Georgetown, funding for which came from their own pockets or scholarships through the government.

Edwards explained their motivation, stating: “We look out for young people to see how we can assist them if they want to further their studies; or if they want a job, we try our best to see how we can assist them.”