The Human Services and Social Security Ministry will provide counselling for the children, parents, and teachers affected by the fire that ravaged Mae’s Schools in Subryanville, Georgetown, this morning.
President Dr. Irfaan Ali made this announcement in a post on his Facebook page, in which he pointed out that a special committee has been established, comprising teachers, parents, and owners to develop a plan for moving forward.
Following the devastating fire, the President met with the owners, staff, and several parents of the school at State House. During the meeting, he emphasised that, despite the school being privately operated, the students are the nation’s children.
“The Georgetown International Academy (GIA) has agreed to accommodate 350 students, while various other alternatives are being explored for the remaining students to ensure they can resume classes as swiftly as possible, including offers from other privately owned institutions to assist in accommodating students,” the Facebook post noted.
Earlier, Education Minister Priya Manickchand, who was at the scene of the fire, described the situation as “very sad,” pointing out that Mae’s Schools have contributed immensely to the country, academically and in various other spheres.
Minister Manickchand reassured the public that the Ministry of Education will be taking steps to ensure that affected students do not lose valuable time in their educational journey.
“We are in contact with other schools, and discussions are already underway to find placements for the students preparing for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams,” the minister said.
A section of the gathering at the meeting
