Education is a basic right of a child but parents of students of School of the Nations say they cannot offer this to their children, following threats to the school.
They have come together to offer a $1M reward for information that could help the authorities to crack the case.
“The reward that has been put up is actually from concerned parents; we look forward to the support of any other who would like to see that the perpetrators are brought to justice really,” John Ramsingh, a concerned parent told reporters.
Schools have not been the same since online threats were made to School of the Nations some two weeks ago.
Parents of students of the school Tuesday protested in front of the Ministry of Public Security, lamenting that they are at a loss as to what to do.
The parents said they need to know from the authorities that it is safe to send their children to school.
They want this assurance from the Ministry of Social Protection, the Ministry of Public Security and the Guyana Police Force.
Speaking at the protest, Parent Teacher Association (PTA), President Anna-Lisa Fraser-Phang said, “The PTA has actually spoken to the Assistant Commissioner, we’ve asked and pleaded with him to make a statement since Friday night and we were chastised and told that we have no right to tell them what to do, while we were just suggesting what they need to do to appease not only the parents of the children of School of the Nations but to the general public”.
Even though Nations schools reopened on Monday, not all of the classes have resumed as yet.
The PTA President said only examination classes were resumed.
The parents said their responsibility is to ensure their children are safe.
“We need to check on our children, we need to make them a priority, feel free to check their phones and see what they’re up to,” Ms Fraser-Phang said.
After threats were made online against to School of Nations, the Director Dr. Brian O’ Toole was shot; so far no connection was made between the attack on Dr O’ Toole and the threats made against the school.
The Ministry of Education with the Guyana Police Force has since implemented police patrols at schools around Georgetown.
