FOLLOWING the period of tension and unrest in the villages of Enterprise, Bachelors Adventure and Beirut on Monday, Police and Army patrols along the East Coast Demerara have increased.

Residents yesterday said that throughout Monday night, the Army and Police did patrols in the villages.

And yesterday the three villages which were on Monday like a danger zone following rumours that the Enterprise Primary School was under siege and that persons had threatened to burn it down, were pervaded by a relative calm.

But though schools were open for classes as usual, attendance throughout the East Coast Demerara was at an all time low, teachers said.

At Enterprise Primary, of about 1,000 pupils on roll, just more than 100 attended school with a mere 10 out of 32 teachers reporting for duty. Many classrooms were empty, and the few boys who attended school enjoyed a game of cricket.

At the Enterprise Nursery School, not one of the 304 on roll attended yesterday.

And so the six out of 16 teachers who turned up for duty had a rather dull day. They stayed around until a little after 14:00 hrs then left.

Assistant General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers Union, Ms. Hazel Answick who visited the schools, said attendance was generally low. She expressed disappointment over the development and is urging teachers and pupils to return to school in the interest of the welfare of the pupils.

Ms Answick, also Head of St. Andrew's School at Cove and John, East Coast Demerara, is worried that unless there is a return to normalcy in the teaching environment the children stand to lose.

She said that apart from the regular end of term exams soon to commence, there are also students preparing for the CXC and end of Third Year Examinations, who are at this time preparing their School Based Assessment (SBA) assignments.

And every day lost is too much, she said.

Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) teachers on the job said they are also at a disadvantage since they too have 'on the job' teaching practice projects which will be stalled unless teaching resumes.

The GTU official is urging parents to think of the negative effects any continued tension and absenteeism could have on the children, let good sense prevail, and ensure that the children attend school.

The presence of the military and para-military in and around the villages is doing much to restore the confidence of the people, and put them at ease to get about their daily business, residents said.

Mini-buses throughout the day travelled in and out of the area without obstruction.

But some persons felt that parents and teachers can do a lot to restore confidence in the children once more. They contended that for as long as parents and teachers make it apparent that something is amiss, the children would continue to live in fear - a situation which could have long-term adverse effects on them, they noted.

"The longer we hold the grudge, the more our children stand to suffer," one resident said.

Residents on booth sides - Bachelors Adventure and Enterprise - said they want peace and would like to co-exist, but are blaming the ugly developments on the mischief of the rumour mill.

Teachers and parents who spoke with the Chronicle told of the trauma being experienced by many of the children who were subjected to the horrible experience of hurrying out of class rooms on Monday under threats that persons were coming to burn the building down.

Some children are reportedly getting nightmares and jumping out of their sleep screaming. Others who do not normally wet their beds did so on Monday night, while others still, have become withdrawn and have since been speaking very little, they said.

One little boy who experienced the scare, reportedly ran straight home, jumped into his bed and hid under a sheet. He has not spoken since, but cries occasionally, a resident said. His mother had to find out about the problem from neighbours.

And snack vendors outside the school spent a wasted day and had to return home with practically all the snacks they had prepared.

Even though the Enterprise Market and a few shops were open there was no business yesterday, and by noon the vendors shut up shop and returned home.

Villagers expressed gratitude that President Bharrat Jagdeo and Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Ronald Gajraj intervened immediately on Monday and took action to ensure that the Police and military presence was intensified in the villages.

They are hoping that before the end of the week there will be a return to normalcy and that it can be 'business as usual'.