EVEN with a shortage of teachers, many challenges, and working against the odds, head teacher Modiram Beepat, after more than 20 years at the Mashabo Primary School, has made the ‘A’ List at National Grade Six Examination (NGSA) due to a collective effort via teaching strategies implemented.

He disclosed that they changed their teaching strategies to get past hurdles and introduced video teaching since they have no Internet connectivity or flash drives and memory cards for the children to take home.
Beepat related that teachers with Internet access would download YouTube teaching aids and ask the pupils to bring the memory cards from their parents’ cell phones and download them for them to play at home to aid their teaching capacity.

He added that they are still using flash drives and memory cards to download teaching aids for pupils and they were gifted 30 tablets from the donor organisation, Guyana/Jamaica Friendship Association, headed by Frank Denbow.

Beepat disclosed that they are also conducting extra lessons at the homes of teachers and he would take some classes at his home too because he resides on the Essequibo Coast and has access to the Internet.
He reported that it was the first time in 2018, after two decades, they achieved two passes at NGSA and the students were placed at Anna Regina Secondary School.

And after that successful pass in 2018 the school consistently continued making the ‘A’ List and this year, they achieved four passes to Abraham Zuil Secondary School.
Beepat told the Pepperpot Magazine that the donor organisation based in the United States they have partnered with for the past nine years has been doing fundraisers to aid the school.

The head teacher of Mashabo Primary related that the Jamaica/Guyana Friendship Association did a magazine and raised funds which was used to acquire 30 tablets for Mashabo Primary School.
Beepat stated that five teachers received laptops and exam papers, textbooks and other teaching materials were donated, as well, to boost their teaching capacity.

And this year, the organisation will not disappoint, come October 14, they will be making the wish list of pupils come through and they are elated for that.
In addition, he noted that they have been receiving support from the Ministry of Education and three 65-inch televisions were donated to the school and the Learning Channel was introduced in classrooms.

Beepat reported that the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) have been assisting the school, too. They rehabilitated the roof, installed new gutters and the black tanks system for drinking water and provided a boat and engine for schoolchildren.

He disclosed that an extension will be added to the Mashabo Primary School to house the nursery section due to space constraints. The old nursery school building was abandoned because it was unsafe for occupancy.
The children of the nursery section are currently housed in the Mashabo Primary School.

“Our progress in education has been tremendous over the years and it is a collective effort between teachers, parents, learners, the community and other stakeholders,” Beepat said.
The head teacher of Mashabo Primary School told the Pepperpot Magazine that the ministry introduced the feeding programme in that school in 2018, where a daily lunch is provided with fruits and a beverage for pupils while the nursery children receive a snack and beverage.

Since the introduction, they have seen a 90 per cent increase in attendance and the performance of the pupils has increased significantly, so it is a plus for them.
Beepat related that they have 12 teachers in total with 53 pupils on roll for primary and 20 children for the nursery.

He added that three teachers were seconded to Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and they have only nine teachers now and later this month six more teachers will be attending CPCE, leaving them short of staff.

CHRIS RAPHAEL, TEACHER
Meanwhile, Chris Raphael is a teacher attached to the Mashabo Primary School since 2019 and it is a job he enjoys, and it shows by his demeanour and his classroom ethics.

The 20-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is a student at CPCE and as a young teacher he would like to become qualified and he is giving back to the community via extra lessons, free of charge for slow learners.
“I really like this job; moulding the minds of the young is challenging, but here I am making the most of it because I believe I am making a difference in the lives of many through education,” he said.

AUNTY ESTHER CHARLES, THE COOK
Meet Esther Charles. She is one of three cooks attached to the Mashabo Primary School kitchen and is responsible for preparing a timely lunch for the pupils at lunchtime from Mondays to Fridays.

Charles is well-known and respected in the village having served as the Community Health Worker for 29 years before she retired five years ago.
At 62 years old, she is still spritely and has the burst of energy as a teenager and she is also a very friendly and endearing person who enjoys cooking and staying busy.

Charles is the only resident of Mashabo to receive a Medal of Service (MS) in 2016 for her sterling contribution as a healthcare professional and service to the community.
The mother of seven is a simple woman who has a kitchen garden and does all the cooking at her home.

“I went through a lot of hardships and used to walk for miles, down a hill, a dirt dam rain or sun to get to patients and even used a paddle, in a boat, to get out the village to treat the sick and uplift medications. I did what I had to serve the community and even today I would do it again if I have to,” Charles said.