Education is a requirement, says President

THE DAVID Granger’s 5 B’s initiative which saw the provision of one bus, three boats, 21 bicycles and a breakfast programme to various parts in Region 10 is benefiting hundreds of children who were in dire need for these travelling and meal assistance to attend school more regularly and punctually.The 30-seater bus that was commissioned in June attempted to make its first trip transporting school children from Nottinghamshire, Three Friends, Coomacka and Old England on Monday but got stuck on the road that was recently graded by public-spirited persons in collaboration with the bauxite company Bosai.
Regional Education Officer Marcia Paddy told the Guyana Chronicle that efforts were underway with the assistance of the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to have the road fixed so that the children can be transported to school hassle free. The children residing in those far flung areas attend school in the central part of Linden and suffered for way too long as transportation was limited and expensive. They were forced to prepare very early in the mornings waiting for the one or two buses that ply the route but many times would reach to school way after 8 AM. The parents also bemoaned the pressure the public transportation was placing on their pockets as to take one child to school daily cost $500 which excludes snack and other expenses. One parent said that he had to pay $400 daily just to get one child to and from Coomacka but that excludes added transportation to actually reach to the various schools. “It was really hard then, you had to find money for snacks and project and all these things,” he explained.

The three school boats that were donated to transport children from communities up the Demerara River to Linden, from communities up the Berbice River to Kimbia and from River’s View in the Essequibo River to Bartica are also benefiting scores of children whose absenteeism and lateness were affecting their academic performance as a result of transportation challenges. The students from communities up the Demerara River had to hitch a ride with any boat to get to Linden.
One parent who identified herself as Nadia expressed appreciation to President Granger for his thoughtfulness in donating the boat to the children. “It wasn’t so bad for my children because I have a boat and they use to come down with me from Dalawalah but the many other children had no boat and they used to suffer. We had a lot of drop-outs but now we see the numbers increasing every day.
“The parents of River’s View also lauded President Granger as their pockets had seen an ease from the $1000 transportation cost a day that was required for the children to attend school in Bartica.
Regional Education Officer (REDO), Ms. Marcia Paddy-Andrews revealed that there had been a significant increase in the number of children who attended schools from these districts. One vessel ferries 32 children from the Lower and Upper Berbice River to Kimbia, while the second is transporting about 45 children from places like Gold Hill in the Demerara River to Linden.
There are however several other communities within the region that are experiencing school transportation woes and while the regional officials are trying to remedy this, calls are being made for the intervention of central government under the David Granger 5 B’s initiative. Over 100 students from Haruru and Lathersville are forced to fit into 60 seater bus to travel to school in Kwakwani, some ten miles away. Some parents are worried about a situation claiming that students are involving in sexual activities in the bus since the girls are forced to sit on the boys’ laps.
“The bus is overcrowded, it’s over 100 children from Lathersville and Haruru going to Kwakwani. It is really overcrowded, some of the boys going on the bus and the girls have to sit on their laps,” posited Vice Chairman Elroy Adolf who commented on the issue. He said that the bus was donated to transport the children of Rusal’s employees but as there was unavailability of any other means of transportation in the community, all the students take advantage of the service.
Students residing in hinterland areas such as Rock stone and Moblissa are also requesting a school bus. Rockstone is located 19 miles away from Linden and according to Councillor Antonio Hackett the parents dislike the idea of their children staying at the hostel in Linden as there are ‘unsavory’ reports regarding some hostels. Students of Moblissa located on the Linden Soesdyke Highway some 14 miles away are forced to walk some 7 miles to the highway sometimes in the rain as there is no place to shelter. Deputy Director of Community Development Council Sandra Adams revealed that she had engaged Minister of Social Cohesion Amna Ally on the issue.
President Granger, at the commissioning of the boats, described the transportation situation as a plight which resulted in scores of children dropping out of school every month. “Every month children are dropping out of schools because they cannot afford the transportation cost to go to school. At 11 and 12 years children are already out of school,” stressed the President.
He said that providing transportation was just part of the solution and that was why he had added breakfast and bursary to the previous equation of boat, bicycle and bus, as he was cognizant that children were facing more than transportation issues.
He said that it was not logical to have a child paddle to school on a hungry stomach as this would affect his or her performance in school. “If children go to school hungry they will fall down and sleep,” said President Granger. He said that a plan was already in the initial stages to provide breakfast for children of limited means. The breakfast would include milk and rolls with nut butter.
The President also revealed that the children who could not afford other expenses would be given a bursary or scholarship to assist them in completing their education. “If you don’t have transportation we will provide it for you, if you don’t have food we will provide breakfast for you, if you don’t have money we will provide a bursary,” said the President.
President Granger said that he would be backing Region 10 in whatever way possible to have every child go to school, as not having education makes one unemployable. “The constitution says that education is a requirement and I want to fulfill this requirement,” posited President Granger. He urges every mother, every father and every councilor to make sure every child goes to school. He said that he believed in an equal society and that could only be built if everyone received equal education.
To date under the 5B’s programme, eight boats and nine buses have been commissioned and hundreds of bicycles have been distributed to communities across Guyana.