The Ministry of Education was able to complete repairs and extensions on 47 of 49 schools slated for such work in 2009, according to Minister Shaik Baksh.

Speaking at a recent press briefing, the minister reported that work is still ongoing at the Tutorial High School, but this is expected to be completed within the next few weeks.

He disclosed that the contract for the West Ruimveldt School, to the tune of $ 2.4M, has been terminated because of the contractor’s failing to meet deadlines, among other things.

“We will roll that over to 2010. The total value was $ 250M for the repairs and rehabilitation programme,” the minister told reporters.

Under the capital work programme, he said 15 new schools were built and nine were completed.

Baksh pointed out that construction on the Sand Creek Secondary in the Rupununi started in the last quarter of 2009, and work on the Patentia Secondary School, which should have been completed last year, will now be finished this month.

He said his ministry has invoked the liquidated damages clause of the contract for that project and the contractor will have to pay for the losses.

On a different note, the minister said significant progress was made on the policy legislative framework as well as the administrative reform of the sector.

“We have consolidated and implemented the Education Strategic Plan…we had a mid-year review of the plan and have established a Monitoring and Evaluation Unit within the ministry.

“We have also consolidated the education sector reform programme, in particular the work of the Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Development Unit which is in charge of the effective supervision of the school system.

“The Policy Implementation and Monitoring Unit too was consolidated to ensure that policies of the ministry are adhered to and complied with in the school system as a whole,” Baksh stressed.

He said that the education sector legislation has been completed and he is hoping to obtain the bill from the Attorney General Chambers this month, so that it can be piloted through the various stages to the National Assembly.

“The legislation will be accompanied by very extensive regulations and this will be completed this month,” the minister noted.

He reported too that his ministry last year was able to complete several major policy framework documents in the areas of School Health Nutrition/ HIV and AIDS, Open and Distance Education, Technical and Vocational Education and Science and Technology.
These documentations, the minister said, will form the bases for implementation of relevant programmes.