CLASSROOMS
at the Annandale
Secondary School,
East Coast Demerara
remained empty yesterday
as students stayed away,
still fearful of the
alleged mystery illness
which broke out during
the latter part of last
week, with several
students being
hospitalised.
The
headmistress of the
school said there was a
full turnout of teachers
as the education
authorities had ordered
a full resumption of
classes from yesterday.
But
students did not turn up
for classes and some
parents staged a protest
demanding the
dismantling of a new
snackette which opened
for business in the
school compound last
week, claiming it was,
somehow, behind the
mystery illness.
EMPTY
CLASSROOMS: The
desolate Annandale
Secondary School
yesterday as students
stayed away once more,
fearful of the mystery
illness. (Cullen
Bess-Nelson photo)
The
12 students, who were
taken to the Georgetown
Public Hospital
Corporation (GPHC) last
week following the
mystery illness, were
examined and sent home
as doctors said nothing
was medically wrong with
them.
Parents
of the affected children
yesterday claimed the
“spirits of dead Dutch
men” are the source of
the mystery illness
because the snackette
was built on their
graves and some mounted
a picketing exercise at
the Regional Education
Office demanding the
demolishing of the
canteen
Shortly after the
picketing began,
Regional Education
Officer, Ms. Dudmattie
Singh, met the
protesting parents, but
details of the meeting
were not forthcoming as
several efforts to get a
response from the
official proved futile.
The
mothers of two of the
students, Samantha
Sheowpersaud and
Parbattie Motilall, who
are allegedly affected
by the mystery illness,
said their daughters are
still nervous, weak and
have a loss of appetite.
However,
Permanent Secretary in
the Ministry of
Education, Mr. Phulander
Kandhai told this
newspaper the ministry
is very concerned about
the issue and took all
possible measures to
ensure the students were
medically examined.
He
said the ministry had
expected a full
resumption of classes
from yesterday. The
school was shut Thursday
and remained closed
Friday as the ministry
and officials from the
Health Ministry and the
Police probed the
mystery.
Kandhai
yesterday suggested it
could be a case of
“group hysteria” and
is appealing to parents
and all concerned to act
responsibly in the
interest of the students
and the school.
Asked
what would be the next
step if students
continued to stay away,
the Permanent Secretary
said “we will cross
the bridge when we meet
it.” (CHAMANLALL
NAIPAUL)
day,
November 28, 2006
