Protest outside P/Town school

PARENTS of students who attend Princes Town Presbyterian No.1 School staged a fiery protest today, blocking two points of the Gopaul Bypass Road near the entrance gates to the Princes Town Presbyterian No. 2 School.

President of the Parent/Teacher Association Nola Ramjohn-Karim said parents are fed up with "ole talk" and want to see action in the form of commencement work on a new school.

"Enough is enough. This is the only way to get the attention of the (Presbyterian) Board and the (Education) Ministry for them to give us a definite answer. We do not want any more ole talk," Ramjohn-Karim said.

The No.1 school was originally at Edward Street. In August last year, the old school was demolished for the construction of a new one. Months before that, students were being housed at the sister school at Gopaul Bypass Road off Tasker Road. The students have a shift system.

"When they demolished the old school, parents thought that something was happening. But maybe that was just to pacify people. Nothing has been done after that. The location is just a vacant piece of land," Ramjohn -Karim told Newsday.

At the protest today, many parents held placards while chanting: "Build Pres One now." After it ended, parents got word that officials from the Education Ministry contacted the school to inform staff to proceed with the end of term tests.

"This is being done to intimidate parents, to bully them into being quiet because when parents hear that tests are going on they would want to send their children. Today only had about nine students so even if there is one child, the Ministry is saying that test has to be given."