Day Two of Strike: Some schools still closed, students sent home

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Despite the assurances of Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry that all schools will be opened today, students were still sent home at two schools in Georgetown.

Teachers are continuing their countrywide strike action for better salaries but the Government and the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) remain at a stalemate over the how much the salaries should be increased by.

When News Room visited the North Georgetown Primary School, parents said there were no Teachers at the school and so they took their children home.

At the Stella Maris Primary, there are Teachers at the school, but they have informed parents that they will not be teaching, so the parents took their children home.

The North Georgetown Primary School

At the Mon Repos Primary School, East Coast Demerara, there were no Teachers for Grades One and Two and students were left standing at the corridor. Most parents took their children home from there.

A photo sent to News Room shows an empty building at the Desrey Fox Secondary School at Waramadong, Region Seven. 

There is also no school at Paramakatoi Secondary, where children from mountain villages attend. Striking teachers started the day with a picket outside the school.

Paramakatoi Secondary where Teachers are on strike and protesting

Meanwhile, though short on Teachers, the New Diamond/Grove Primary, Peters Hall Primary and Providence Primary on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD) are opened.

News Room was told that some classrooms were merged so students would not be left unattended.

At the Providence Primary, the guards confirmed that a retired Teacher was dispatched to the school. 

The Desrey Fox Secondary School at Waramadong, Region Seven

At the New/Grove Primary, a few parents said they were informed that there are no Teachers present for Grades Two and Three students.

Most parents told News Room that they will not send their children to school unless they know for sure that there will be Teachers present.

 

The Education Minister remains firm that the Government cannot meet the demands of the GTU for a 40% increase. The GTU has since noted that it can negotiate below the 40% but there has been no move in that regard. 

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