–as US$2.6M contract inked for completion of Good Hope Secondary

THE Ministry of Education (MoE) on Friday signed a US$2.6 million contract with Deen+ Partners for the completion of works on the Good Hope Secondary School on the East Coast of Demerara.

The engineering, procurement and construction/turnkey contract was signed at the Ministry’s Brickdam office.

The project, which falls under the Secondary Education Improvement Project, is being funded by the World Bank, and is scheduled to be completed by June 2023.

Delivering remarks at the brief signing ceremony, Education Minister Priya Manickchand said that funding has been secured for the construction of the schools and several other projects.

The works had commenced in 2017, however, several components were left incomplete.

“Good Hope Secondary is the school that we intended on the East Coast of Demerara to help us achieve universal secondary education. By that we mean two things: One, children who did not have a place right now can get into a school, and two, that we could close all the primary tops on the East Coast of Demerara,” Minister Manickhand said.

Once completed, the school will accommodate close to 1,000 students, with an administrative block to accommodate staff. Other facilities will include a multi-purpose hall, home economics room, TVET buildings, science laboratories, audio-visual room, a library, and a dance studio.

The school will also see the ministry being a step closer to eliminating primary top schools along the East Coast corridor, as well as address the issue of overcrowding in other schools.

“Immediately, we will be able to put 479 children in that school, and we will be able to close the Paradise ‘Primary Top’, the Enterprise Primary, the Enmore ‘Primary Top’, take off overcrowding at Cummings Lodge, Bladen Hall, Golden Grove and Plaisance,” the Minister said.

Currently, 92 students who were placed at the Good Hope Secondary School are now being educated at other educational institutions.

Outstanding works include the installation of all electrical panels and cables to complete electrical connections; installation and connection of all plumbing fittings and fixtures; completion of the fence, pavements, walkways and landscaping, general finishes to windows, doors, roof, walls and ceilings, completion of all built-in furniture, repainting of the entire facility and remedial works to all floors.
Meanwhile, with regards to the East Bank corridor, Minister Manickhand disclosed that the Yarrowkabra and Prospect Secondary Schools, which are scheduled to be completed next year, will also see the closure of several “Primary Top Schools” in that district.

“… These schools will bring in universal secondary education in region Four,” she emphasised.

Additionally, she noted that the extension of several schools within the capital city will provide better accommodation for students.

“As you know, we are building back St. George’s, St Mary’s, extending East Ruimveldt [and] St. Winefride’s, and we are building a brand new school somewhere around Turkeyen. St. Rose’s is also expected to be finished, and the extension of Queen’s College, The Bishop’s High [and] St. Joseph’s,” she said before assuring that Georgetown will be “accommodating our children comfortably.”

Minister Manickchand said that the continued upgrades of schools will see Guyana achieving universal secondary education over the next three years.

“To the parents of children all across this country, we hope in the next three years to bring in universal secondary so that secondary-aged children can be comfortably housed in psychical structures,” the Minister said.

“There is a heavy focus and you will see a changing culture …the effort will be for us to get quality education in these schools,” she added.