A CONTRACT for over $1.8 billion (US$8.87M) has been awarded for the construction of two separate secondary schools in Regions Three and Four.

A contract to the tune of US$4,795,595 (GYD$1 billion) has been awarded to R. Bassoo and Sons Contracting Services for the construction of Westminister Secondary School, in Region Three; while Good Hope Secondary School, in Region Four, is scheduled to be constructed by BK International Inc. costing some US$4,082, 506 (GUY$857 million).

Westminister Secondary School, on the West Bank of Demerara, is expected to be built to accommodate a capacity of 1000 students, while the Good Hope Secondary school is expected to have a capacity for 800 students.

In both cases the works include the construction of ten new structures, a guard booth and external works and services which include plumbing, air conditioning and electrical installation. Only earlier this year a number of schools were constructed to ease with overcrowding in many areas.

It was just earlier this year that two primary schools were completed in Region Seven, while another secondary school – Golden Grove Secondary, in Region Four, was completed and handed over last June to help with the overcrowding in three other schools along the East Bank area.

Overcrowding in Matthews Ridge, Region One, saw the construction of a new secondary department attached to the primary school. The new extension helped to ease the burden of parents having to send their children to Port Kaituma to attend school. Of the 13 secondary schools located in Region Three, only three are located on the West Bank of Demerara.