Calls for night school gets support from govt

DPI, Guyana, Thursday, August 29, 2019

Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Valerie Garrido-Lowe is supporting the notion of continued education for persons, especially young people, who would have dropped out of school for one reason or the other.

The minister has further responded to calls for a night school to be established in Stanleytown, Region 3, to keep youths off the streets.

Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Valerie Garrido-Lowe and Director General of the Ministry of the Presidency with children from the Stanleytown community who were gifted David ‘G’ School bags.

Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Valerie Garrido-Lowe at a community meeting at Stanleytown, Region 3.

DSC8584: Residents of Stanleytown and Good Intent during a community meeting.

DSC8584: Residents of Stanleytown and Good Intent during a community meeting.

“With regards to the night school, that’s an excellent idea, and I think that can come from the community first.”

The minister urged residents to seek out retired teachers and skilled persons within their community to assist with the programme.

A night school is typically used to hold classes in the evening to accommodate students with day shift work schedules. A similar initiative is already in place in the neighbouring community of Good Intent.

Wednesday’s community meeting was also attended by Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon, who had a very energetic session with residents.

The Director-General was happy to report that specific promises, which included road and streetlights, were kept. He offered a new commitment to address current issues such as drainage, deplorable roads and health care.

The Director-General also singled out a programme which he noted government greatly supported – a school feeding programme. This initiative is being managed by a private resident, Maureen Waldron and her family for the school children in their Stanleytown community.

For a year now, the family has been providing meals for school children whose parents could not afford it.

“The school feeding programme is one which the government embraces… We have allocated money for this school feeding programme, some schools that have been identified as pilot schools that will have that, but in cases where you have citizens who decided that they are going to come up and do these things, we have to work with you,” DG Harmon explained.

As he wrapped up his visit at Stanleytown, the Director-General urged persons to embrace a “Community spirit”.