THE Belladrum Secondary School in Region 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) will benefit from a long-overdue $18M upgrade in physical infrastructure this year.
Superintendent of Works for the Regional Administration, Mr Delton Benjamin said that $12M is slated to be spent on maintenance and a facelift of the building and its environs, while $6M will be spent on capital works. He said that the Regional Administration intends to focus on eradicating a bat-infestation problem which has plagued the school for years.
The facelift will also include painting of the building, installation of grills to prevent unauthorised access to the main stairways, tiling of the auditorium, fixing of the gutters, and repairs and upgrade of the plumbing, electrical facilities and sanitary facilities.
Benjamin said that the upgrades of the sanitary facilities will be supported by the installation of ten water tanks to take the total amount to seventeen for the school to capture rain water for use by students and staff in addition to or in lieu of water provided by the Guyana Water Inc.
It was also noted that $4M is to be expended on construction of two fences which will separate the school compound from the community ground for the purpose of strengthening the security of the school. Money will also be spent on the establishment of a tarmac which will double up as the area where the students will keep their general assembly and also serve as a multipurpose court where they can play basketball, volleyball and be involved in other elements of physical education.
“The reality is that much more work needs to be done to bring this school up to standard,so we are hoping to get additional funding in next years’ budget to continue the upgrade of other parts of the building,” Benjamin said.
He disclosed that construction of the fence and the tarmac will be the first two activities on the site,since these can be done without disruption of the school’s academic program.
“The work that we can do while school is in progress will be done at evenings and weekends and the contract has already been awarded, “he said.

The major activities of the school’s maintenance and facelift will take place during the upcoming August holidays.