Dear Editor

NOW that the chaos of the new school week is over, I can finally and evidently address the deprived standards at the Green Acres Primary School. It was just an unfortunate September school reopening for my child, in which I was extremely disappointed in the classroom space in which my child was placed to spend the Grade 2 school year. The reason for my upsurge anger was that I could not understand how person(s) with prestigious standings and knowledge would find the said recluse classroom acceptable for learning. The room was hot with poor ventilation. It was stuffy, dark and not vibrant and I would categorize it as the ‘outcast’ Grade 2 class when compared to the others.

Anyone who wants to challenge me on this can feel free to do so by all means, because it is quite evident. Go to Green Acres Primary and visit all the Grade 2 classes, scrutinize each classroom carefully and I know you would be able to identify the outcast classroom. Then ask yourself if the classroom is suitable for learning. At the cost of $53,000 per term, it does not meet the standards for exceptional learning and no child should endure that day-in, day out.

Ms. Marilyn Green and teachers of Green Acres Primary, let your conscience be your guide. If that situation worked before then it is an embarrassment knowing that paying-parents would have even accepted such mediocre standards from a private school. Most persons are paying for a service, not begging. I trust that Guyanese can start speaking out and standing up for better customer service. Guyanese have this special way of complaining among themselves but allow the people who are actually responsible for fixing the issue, to get away with it. I know that many would agree with me. To all the parents who had the same issues with the ‘outcast’ classroom and was too scared to speak out, let me know if the situation changed now that the first school week is over.

Here’s a word on customer service Ms. Green. When you have an angry customer (and you would have a few), it’s not your place to be pompous, but simply listen and analyze your customer’s complaint. Disgracefully, your response was only a clear indication of the meager customer service and you actually do not care about those customers who are not your friends or your family. It is very disturbing that you would choose to tell me to leave the school with my child because I was upset. I would have already invested in textbooks and other items for the school term and you never took that into consideration. That should have been the last resort solution after knowing that you would have tried your best to find a solution to the problem. You can find some tips here to help you: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/unhappy-customers.htm.

Think back to when you first started Green Acres and compare it today, you’ve allowed greed to take you over. You should know that with every bad highlight, it is your ‘brand’, your legacy, your name, for the past 25yrs being brought to the forefront. I do not need to personally know you, or attend your church for my child to sit in a so-called ‘special’ classes. I do not need to beg a teacher for favour to give my child the time of the day. Neither do I need to bring gifts and fancy presents for my child to have special attention. I am paying and abiding by the rules of the school and that would suffice for proper service. According to the school’s motto, every child should be given the fair opportunity to “Grow in grace and wisdom”.

Finally, I would always tell persons anywhere I go that I’ve enjoyed the Play Group and Nursery (and even made recommendations), but those standards were not passed on to the Primary School. I did not choose Green Acres just for academics and it being a private school. I chose it because of the location (close proximity to work), the security, the aftercare program since I work [well] beyond 4:30pm (some things we don’t always get at a public school). I also chose it for what the school would have stood for before it allowed voracity to take it over. I know that the reason many parents opt for a private school is that their child would have a comfortable space and receive the attention they require to excel.

The parents at Green Acres Primary are free to challenge me on this but only when they would have looked at the situation holistically and would have refrained their mind from any biases.

“When the atmosphere encourages learning, the learning is inevitable” – Elizabeth Foss

Regards
Disappointed Parent