Dear Editor,
I have taken note of a Facebook post by President’s College, one of Guyana’s most prestigious secondary schools, appealing to alumni, friends, and the general public to raise $600,000 to replace deteriorated basketball backboards. This is most unfortunate and, frankly, shameful.
In a country that boasts of being the fastest-growing economy in the world and constantly advertises “unprecedented development” and “record investments” in every sector, it is unacceptable that a top public secondary school must resort to public begging to fix basic sporting infrastructure. We therefore call directly on the Minister of Education and the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport to address this madness immediately.
School infrastructure and sporting facilities are the responsibility of the state not alumni, not teachers, and not students. If the government can pour billions into contracts, consultants, and photo-op projects, surely it can find $600,000 to ensure students at President’s College have safe and functional facilities.
This situation exposes the hollow nature of the government’s claims of progress and highlights a clear failure in priorities. Our children deserve better. Public education should not be reduced to crowdfunding while ministers boast of prosperity.