A fire destroyed Christchurch secondary school on Thursday, January 12, 2023. This is the second fire within a week at the school. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
Minister of Home Affairs Robeson Benn had previously stated that the first fire, which occurred on January 4, 2023, started inside one of the school’s laboratories and that all combustible materials were expected to be removed. However, the efforts to remove these materials were not enough to prevent the second devastating fire.
As the school burned, teachers watched with tears in their eyes, and Minister of Education Priya Manickchand was also holding back tears as she watched the building burn. “This is very disturbing to watch,” Manickchand said.
Emotions were high as firefighters worked to contain the blaze. The destruction of the school is a tragic loss for Guyana’s community and the education system. The government will now have to investigate the cause of the fire and work to rebuild the school for the students and teachers who have been affected. More details to follow
