TEACHERS and students of the Leguan Secondary School are grateful for the initiative by the government, to provide free internet and Wi-Fi at the school that continues to boost their Information Technology Department.

Along with the island’s four nursery and four primary schools, the secondary school has a total of 138 students.
“This is a wonderful idea and we’re hoping that it can be implemented in the primary schools as well. It is very helpful to our computer lab,” head of the secondary school’s agricultural department, Viren Chintamani, told this publication.

The National Data Management Authority (NDMA) within the Ministry of Public Telecommunications provided the facilities at the school in April last year, in its drive to ensure that Guyanese have access to free internet.
In addition to the Wi-Fi being obtained at the school, two business persons have also arranged to provide internet service with signal from Parika and on the East Bank of Essequibo. The installation is done at a cost of about $40,000 and customers pay a monthly fee of $5,000.

Chintamani reported that the school has been doing well at the CSEC examinations “Sometimes we are second and third in the region, just behind West Demerara or Zeeburg, so we are doing well,” Chintamani pointed out.

If access to transportation was not so challenging on the island, though, Chintamani feels that the students who finish their secondary education can be able to do more.
Transportation costs have been dubbed one of the heaviest expenses on the island, and for almost everything, residents would need to hire a ‘special.’
“For me personally, I can go and further my studies at the University of Guyana, if I know there will be a boat to bring me home back in the night, without having to pay a higher cost,” Chintamani expressed.
Currently, the ferry leaves Leguan at 06:00hrs for Parika and leaves Parika at 10:00hrs to return to Leguan. In the afternoon, the boat leaves Leguan at 14:00hrs or 15:00hrs for Parika, and leaves Parika for Leguan at 16:00hrs. If someone misses the ferry, the speedboat operators charge $500 a person. If the full number of persons for the boat is not achieved, then persons would have to pay more.
More persons would pursue higher studies if transportation costs were not so high.
“When young people leave here, there’s no coming back. Let’s say you have 20 persons writing CSEC. Afterwards, you might find a mere five remaining on the island; the rest are gone. More cottage industries need to be created to keep the students,” Chintamani expressed.

“For the 15 teachers that are here, all of us are young; in our 30’s. and we still have a very far way to go. So an opportunity is not created here for another young person to come because we are all trained,” he added.
Headmaster of the Leguan Secondary School, Teekaram Persaud, travels from Wales, on the West Bank Demerara each day, and pays $3000 daily in transportation costs. He is only hoping to be confronted with a job opportunity, so that life can become a bit easier on him.
Persaud has been in the education system for the past 21 years. He is also hoping that the relevant authorities would look into providing a house with basic facilities on the island for him.
Migration and the government’s housing drive have seen many people move to Tuschen and other areas along the West Coast.