SEVERAL schools in Region Five (Mahaica/Berbice) are set to benefit from improvements to the tune of some $124M this year, the Regional Administration has disclosed. The funds will be used to construct new roofs, replace windows, sanitary facilities, concrete tarmacs, guard huts and sanitary facilities for security staffers.

The institutions slated for infrastructural works include the Rosignol Secondary School ($12M), Liberty Hall Primary School ($14M), Lachmansingh Primary School ($11M), Belladrum Secondary School ($24M), Novar Secondary School ($10M), Mahaicony Secondary School ($14M) and Bygeval Multilateral School ($14M).

Concrete tarmacs will be constructed at Number Eight Village Secondary School ($8M), Waterloo Village Nursery School ($7M), Woodley Park Primary School ($5M) and Woodley Park Secondary School ($5M). The sum of $3.5M is allocated for construction of sanitary blocks for security guards at the aforementioned schools.

The Bygeval Secondary School is a notable beneficiary since it had been neglected for many years according to Superintendent of Works of the Regional Administration, Delton Benjamin. The school, located at Chelsea Park Mahaica, is the largest educational facility in the region with a student roll of six hundred and ninety with a staff of forty-five.

In 2018, the school’s sewerage system malfunctioned. This led to classes being cancelled on several occasions. The sum of $14M was expended to address this problem last year. An additional $14M will be used rehabilitate the roof and some of its buildings, Benjamin said.
He explained that some of the schools’ improvement projects have started.

These include the construction of tarmacs, which are external to the buildings, as this does not disrupt the normal school program. Some internal works are being done on the weekends while others deemed major will be undertaken during the school holidays, the official stated.

In December 2018, Region Five was allocated approximately $4B to execute public infrastructure projects and improvements and upgrades within the healthcare, education and agricultural sectors.