Tutorial Academy in Berbice outlines development plans
THE Berbice-based Tutorial Academy Secondary School, in its strive for excellence, recently constructed a science laboratory and is currently building a home economics centre which will allow its 600 odd student population to write the associated subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) level for the first time. Headmistress, Ms. Taijmattie Raghuraj, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, disclosed that the $10M lab was funded by the Government, while the home economics building is being built with money raised at the annual school fair and the ‘buy a brick project’.
The 36 feet by 55 feet concrete edifice was, initially, to be a one flat building, which would have only housed the lab but Raghuraj, fondly called Miss Bhina, disclosed that, following discussions with regional officials, the design was changed to facilitate an upper and lower flat.
The addition will allow students who, previously, had to journey to the Practical Instruction Centre, in Philadelphia Street, New Amsterdam, about half a mile from the school, to be better monitored, as many, when scheduled to attend classes there, never reported but, instead, used the period to indulge in unsavory behaviours.
With the upstairs, which is intended to house the lab being completed, the headteacher said furnishing, such as stools, screens and eraser boards, tables and chairs among other things are needed in order to enhance learning.
The home economics facility, though incomplete, received its first gift, of a four burner gas stove from COURTS (Guyana) Inc, at a simple ceremony during the school assembly last Monday.
Letters were sent to several businesses within the Ancient County, seeking their assistance with furnishings but, with the exception of the furniture giant, there was no other positive response.
Raghuraj is, therefore, appealing to old students and the business community for their timely aid to acquire things needed for the various rooms, including living, dining, bedroom and kitchen.
Other plans on stream for the learning institution, situated along Republic Road in Stanleytown, is a chicken farm, an information technology (IT) lab, which, she said, has been promised by Central Ministry of Education, while a non-governmental organisation (NGO) has indicated an interest in assisting with the creation of a music room to accommodate its growing musical instruments, which include a 17-piece steelband.
Last July, several students of the institution benefited from a Republic Bank sponsored Pan Minors, a musical literacy programme in steel pan training.
That was followed by the presentation of certificates and several public musical renditions at the recent start of Education Month observances in Berbice High School.