Uncertainty about the reopening of schools in the hinterland due to lack of transportation for teachers

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There is still uncertainty about the reopening of schools in the hinterland, which were supposed to start after the six-week vacation on October 1st. So far, teachers working in the remote areas have not returned to their posts. The Organization of Bus and Boat Owners in Suriname (OBS) has suspended the transportation of the teachers due to the non-payment of vacation transporters, who have been waiting since last year for compensation from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture (minOWC).
Antonius Pokie, chairman of the OBS, reports that there is still no clarity on when the payment will be made. “There has been no news about the payout, and the teachers remain in Paramaribo,” said Pokie.
Although Minister Henry Ori stated in the National Assembly (DNA) that only a portion of the teachers had not been transported, Pokie contradicts this, pointing out that no teachers have been taken to the hinterland.
A teacher from Nieuw-Aurora in Upper Suriname expresses his frustration with the situation. “It pains us that the children in the hinterland cannot receive an education. We work in the hinterland to see progress, but in this way, that is not possible,” he tells Suriname suriname.
The teacher emphasizes that the educational gap, which has been growing since the covid-19 pandemic, is increasing further due to the current situation. Last year, the children already lost the entire first quarter due to natural disasters, and now there is a threat of another significant delay.
Extreme drought in the hinterland also plays a role, causing low water levels and making transportation to remote villages more difficult. “When the teachers eventually depart, it will be a difficult journey due to the low water levels,” the teacher explains.
Moreover, many teachers have already consumed the supplies they purchased for their stay in the hinterland. “Without food and provisions, many will not want to leave after the fifteenth of this month. By then, the children will have already missed a month of education.”
A teacher from Marshallkreek says that her school officially started only last Friday, as neither the students nor her colleagues were fully present. “It’s sad what is happening in the hinterland,” she concludes, referring to the annual delays in resuming education.