THE Ministry of Education is taking another step towards achieving universal secondary education by establishing a new secondary school in Jawalla, Region Seven.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and other senior officers within the Ministry of Education, on Tuesday, visited the community to determine a possible location for the school.

Minister Manickchand said the new secondary school would be the second of its kind in the Upper Mazaruni District. It will help to ease the overcrowding at the DC Caesar Fox Secondary School in Waramadong.

She noted that it would provide students in other communities, such as Kamarang and Philipai, with the opportunity to receive a sound secondary education. These students are either not receiving a secondary education or being educated in primary tops, a secondary department in a primary school.

Minister Manickchand said that with the establishment of the secondary school, the Ministry of Education would be able to close the primary tops in Phillipai, Wax Creek, Chinoweing, Imbaimadai, Jawala, Quebanang, Kako and Kamarang.

The school will house 500 students in the classroom and 400 students in the dormitories.

Once completed, the new school will be equipped with chemistry, biology, physics and information technology, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) laboratories, home economics room, library space and spacious classrooms.