By Svetlana Marshall

At least one teacher and three children were sent home today after complaining of feeling ill as pigeons continue to wreak havoc at the Beterverwagting Primary School, and the Region 4 Department of Education Special Education Needs Centre.

The primary school and special needs centre have been battling a pigeon infestation that has resulted in several children and teachers falling ill. The situation has worsened over the past few months.

When News Source visited the two schools today, the security guard locked the gates. But from outside the schools’ compound, flocks of pigeons could be seen roaming the two schools, on their roof, along the corridors and in the compound. The pigeons are reportedly being fed by a man who lives near to the school.  

From the second floor of the primary school building, one teacher could be seen holding a placard. It read in part, “urgent help needed…”

Photos of inside the schools captured by both parents and teachers show pigeon droppings, and even nests in all sections of the two buildings, including classrooms.

Parent, Tansia John, who has two children attending both the schools said she wants the school to be closed until the pigeons are removed.

“We, the parents, we are asking the Government to please just the school down until they get rid of these things because more and more children will get sick. We are begging, we pleading, please do something about it,” John pleaded.

John said an urgent intervention is needed, explaining that even after the janitors clean the buildings, pigeon droppings could be seen all over the two schools, and the children and teachers have been unable to work in a clean environment. John said it is now a health issue.

“All over is pigeon. All in the classes you can see, you can see the pigeons in the classes. Even outside, parents usually sit under the school, pigeon is all over. Pigeons are on top, when you look, pigeons pooping on you, you have to brush them off. You have to chase them and sometimes you brush them and they come back, they are not staying away. So, we are asking for them to please remove them. We don’t know how they will do it but just get it done,” the frustrated mother said.

Another parent, Mahaila George, told News Source that both schools should be closed to allow for the removal of the pigeons and the schools to be cleaned.

George said children and teachers cannot continue to operate in such an unhealthy environment.

“Upstairs have a lot of sick children, what would eventually happen to the children downstairs, they would eventually get sick. They are special children, and we have to take into consideration that because they are special children, we have to be more attentive to them, and I would like for them to do something quickly about it,” George said.

Speaking to News Source from behind the gate, a teacher explained that pigeons began invading the school and the centre since during the COVID-19 pandemic when schools were closed.

 It was explained that when schools were reopened following the pandemic, teachers found the buildings infested with pigeons, and reports were immediately made to the Department of Education, the Ministry of Education and the Regional Democratic Council.

At the time, the pigeons took over the ground floor, however, following an intervention by the Ministry of Education, which saw ceiling being installed in the bottom flat, the pigeons then moved to the upper flat of the primary school building. 

 “The pigeons used to be on the ground floor of the building, so even the office, the auditorium and all those places used to be inundated with pigeon feces, the stench, feathers and all that. So the report was made, they came, rectified the problem downstairs by putting in ceiling but since then the pigeons moved upstairs,” the teacher explained.

Another intervention by the authorities included the installation of mesh along the classrooms but this was not enough to keep the pigeons away, and the authorities were once again informed of the infestation.

Another teacher told News Source that teachers and children have been falling ill, pointing out that just today a teacher and three children from the special needs school were sent home. News Source understands that between the two schools, more than 30 children are now at home due to the pigeon infestation.

“It has gotten worse. Pigeons are nesting. When they nest, they hatch and it multiplies, and children are falling sick. We never knew this was the cause of it, because presently we have a total within the special section and the mainstream section, a total of 30 something or more children out of school. We don’t if it is the pigeon mess is causing this to happen,” the teacher said.

Visiting the schools today as were representatives from We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party. WIN’s General Secretary, Odessa Primus said children deserve better.

“We should not be at the place we are currently as it relates to our children in any part of this country, whether it is pigeons, whether it is flooding, whether it is leaking schools, this should definitely not be the situation that any child, any teacher should be put in. It is rather unfortunate that we have to be here having to deal with something of this nature, especially since we boast about being the fastest growing economy, especially when we boast about our infrastructural development and it seems that on the same hand we have no care or concern for our human resources, and our children,” Primus said.

Primus said an urgent intervention is needed by the authorities. WIN Representative Hana Mohamed said the situation is particularly concerning for special needs children.

“Anyone who has worked with special needs children that they already have a compromised immune system, which means they are more susceptible to disease, and illness, and germs and bacteria than neurotypical children. So, it is our duty, and our responsibility to ensure that this is not the standard and the quality of education and the environment that they are left to learn in,” Mohamed said.

Onix Duncan – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) representative – was also on the ground.

Mr. Duncan said he has been following the issue since 2021, and has made representation on behalf of the schools to the Ministry of Education and the Regional Democratic Council, but the issue persists.

“This has been one of the first pigeon infestations that has been happening in schools and this issue was not dealt with,” Duncan said.

News Source understands that parents are planning to protest, if the Ministry of Education does not intervene by tomorrow.

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