Fire destroys private schools in Guyana

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The Guyana government says it will “fully support” students affected by the fire on Wednesday at the privately-owned Mae’s Schools in Subryanville.

“The government will fully support [them]. As you know, we treat our public and private school children the same way we do public schools, with every intent and purpose,” said Education Minister Priya Manickchand. She added that the Examinations Division of the Ministry was implementing systems to accommodate students scheduled to sit exams administered by the Barbados-based Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and the Grade Six Assessment.

“We are just a couple of weeks away from Grade Six, so we are ensuring they are comfortable, properly seated, and that the CXC students are also provided for. As I speak, our Exams Division is currently assessing two locations to make that determination, but they will receive our full support,” she added.

In a statement, Mae’s Schools, which serves approximately 1,000 students across its Nursery, Primary, and Secondary levels, said it was implementing urgent measures to ensure the continuity of its students' education following the fire, which completely destroyed its main structure.

The school stated that the affected building previously housed the playground, as well as primary and secondary students. It also confirmed that all students, teachers, and staff members were safely accounted for, as verified by the Guyana Fire Service.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the school’s management said it is working swiftly to provide temporary accommodations for all displaced students.

“Parents are advised to stay in contact with their child’s respective class teachers to remain informed about all ongoing developments as they become available,” Mae’s Schools said, thanking the government and emergency agencies for their swift response and support.

“We also thank the many parents for their cooperation and trust in the systems we are putting in place to recover,” it added.

Fire Chief Gregory Wickham confirmed that no casualties were reported from the fire, which quickly consumed the decades-old wooden building.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, in a brief statement, said preliminary reports indicate that the fire started before 8:00 a.m. (local time).

“A parent at the scene recounted seeing a small fire inside one of the buildings. Despite efforts to extinguish it, the flames quickly spread, engulfing the entire school,” the statement added.

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