By Michel Outridge
This week the Pepperpot Magazine journeyed to Sisters Village, West Bank Demerara.
It is a fairly large community with internal streets and several pedestrian walkways (small streets) which extend from the Public Road, way down to the foreshore and the backlands on the other side.
Long Pond, Side-Line Dam and Duncan, Murphy and Singh Streets are all part of the village.
Sisters Village is between Wales and Good Intent communities and the residents are welcoming folk.
The population is about 600 people who had depended heavily on the nearby Wales Sugar Estate which closed its doors a few years ago, as such, many were forced to seek employment outside the village.
Sisters Village has a lovely concrete green-painted mosque which is located by a turn on the Public Road, a landmark building, several churches, a mandir and many shops and other small businesses.
The Public Road is lined with shops and other businesses and is home to cattle, rice and cash crops farmers.
The people of Sisters Village work within both the public and private sector, some are fishermen, miners and a handful of entrepreneurs.
Sisters Village is a lively village with people from all walks of life, who co-exist as neighbours in relative peace and harmony.
It is considered a country-side place and no one is sure how the village got its name but say according to traditional stories, it was named after the Dutch plantation owners like most villages.
The nearest Health Centre is at Good Intent, a neighbouring village and the schools are in Patentia and other villages.
According to residents, Sister’s Village is a good place to live simple and raise a family.
The Mathematics teacher
The Pepperpot Magazine met one of a few teachers, who reside within the village.
He is Gregory Gunraj, whose father once operated the most popular village ‘rum shop’ which is conveniently located on the Public Road.
Gunraj has been in the noble teaching profession for 14 years and he is specialised in Mathematics at the West Demerara Secondary School where he teaches Grades 7 to 11.
After the pandemic hit Guyana, schools were forced to close indefinitely in March this year, however, in an effort to engage the students in meaningful learning, he is having extra lessons.
Gunraj told the Pepperpot Magazine that the extra lessons are held via Zoom at the head teacher’s residence at La Grange.
“It was decided that since Mathematics is a compulsory subject and we have some students who are weak we have to ensure they get a chance to improve,” he said.
This is why the West Demerara Secondary School has maintained a 98 percent pass rate in Caribbean Secondary Examination Council (CSEC).
The extra Mathematics lessons are done from 16:00hrs to 18:00hrs at the head teacher’s home but some students who don’t have access to the internet are not benefitting.
“We want every student to benefit but there isn’t much we can do because of the pandemic we can’t have no form of gathering to have a class,” he said.
Gunraj disclosed that at the school they have a few internet-ready computers but with schools closed, they cannot use it.
He explained that Mathematics as a subject is challenging for some students because at the primary level they did not manage to develop their computing skills enough so it becomes difficult for them at the secondary level, as well.
The teacher related that students need to practice Mathematics for them to become versed in that subject area.
Gunraj added that with virtual learning there are challenges, unlike classroom sessions which are more interactive and practical.
Drawn to teaching
Gunraj revealed that he was drawn to the teaching profession when he saw an elderly teacher passing one day and asked if they had any vacancy for a teacher and she responded in the positive.
He applied for the teaching job and was successful and she began his teaching career at the West Demerara Secondary School, the only school he has taught at so far.
With classes out, the teacher disclosed that he yearns to return to the classroom setting to have interactive sessions with students.
“This is probably what I miss the most about school because in my class I have a teacher-friendly policy so students talk freely as it relates to classwork,” he said.
Apart from teaching as his first love, Gunraj is very passionate about sports and functions as the cricket coach at his school for the boy’s team.
He is also an avid cricket fan and would usually encourage the students to showcase their sports talent.
Disc Jockey (DJ)
Since the closure of schools countrywide, Gunraj had to find things to do and it was the opportune time for him to expand on his love for music.
He is a part-time disc jockey (DJ) on social media on Fridays from 17:00hrs to 20:00hrs where he promotes the Starlite Heavy Hard Hitters Sound System which is owned by his friend.
“I have a deep appreciation for music since as a young boy growing up because our rum shop was my dad’s baby and he used to play music and I became fascinated with music in general,” he said.
Sadly, his father, Oswald Gunraj, is now 75 years old and is bed-ridden as such, the management of the rum shop was too much for himself and mother so they decided to close it.
all the american neighbors watched in amazement, they never saw something so stunning 