Contractor leaves Berbice school incomplete as new school term begins

As hundreds of students and teachers turned out at their schools for the new September school term, the situation was a disappointing one at the Manchester Secondary School in Berbice.

The students and teaching faculty were met with incomplete rehabilitation works among a number of other issues.

Whens Demerara Waves Online News visited the school a week ago, parents were expressing their concern about the works being carried out and the allotted time for them to be completed.

Many stressed that they will not be sending their children into such conditions but they were assured by the contractor that the works would have been completed. But unfortunately, students were forced to be stuffed into the labs to facilitate them until the works are completed.

Regional Chairman, Mr. David Armagon who commented on the issue after conducting a visit to schools in Berbice, noted that he was given assurance by the regional engineer that ‘works would be completed in time for school’ but this is not the case.  “It is very disappointing to see what kind of conditions these students are being forced to deal with all because the contractor was not working to his full capacity”, he said.

According to Armagon, the Head Teacher is ‘making do’ with the conditions and trying best to accommodate the students but hopes that works will be completed by the upcoming week.  “The students were placed in the lab area but that’s not really a suitable classroom because it was made for lab work”.

The Regional Chairman stressed that the contractor was also tasked with ensuring that areas where works were completed is free of dust and other debris but this simple task was not done.

He stated that works need to be completed to the ceiling, tiling of the Home Economics Department but of grave concern is the main entrance bridge.

Chairman said that the bridge upon inspection, has no support underneath and poses as a threat to the students and persons using it daily.

He added that the Regional Engineer will be asked to return and review the work done to the bridge and also to inspect the other works to the school.

Meanwhile, Armagon reported that most of the schools saw a reasonable turn out for a first day, an unusual occurrence which shows an improvement in attendance.