-Minister Singh says; urges parents to let children complete school, take up opportunities created by government

IN yet another first for the Dr. Irfaan Ali-led government, a secondary school will soon be built in the riverine community of Orealla in Region Six, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, has announced.

Minister Singh made the announcement during an outreach to the community on Saturday. It was met with thunderous applause and beaming smiles from scores of residents who had congregated in the community’s benab.

The school will accommodate students of Orealla and Siparuta, the only Amerindian communities located in the East Berbice-Corentyne region.

According to Dr. Singh, the land has been identified and geo-technical work is being done for the preparation of construction.

He told residents that the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Narendra Persaud has been tasked with ensuring that funding for the project is included in the region’s submission for the 2024 National Budget.

The school is expected to be delivered to the people of Orealla and Siparuta in 2024.

“Your children will be able to enjoy right here in Orealla and Siparuta, high school education and will be able to complete their high school education right here. We will construct this school in 2024. You already have the high school population in the dorms and primary tops and some of them are already writing CSEC there. We want all of them to be able to go to a full-fledged high school, including those who previously had to go to the coast. We would like them to complete their high school education right here and I will be looking out from 2025 to see the CSEC results of the secondary school… I would like to see strong performances from the students of Orealla Secondary School,” he said.

He added that such a school embodies the president’s philosophy of a ‘One Guyana.’ President Ali had visited both communities in 2022 and pledged the construction of the school in response to concerns expressed by residents.

“The President has made ‘One Guyana’ his philosophical commitment of his presidency. It is not only about the oneness of the three counties, about the oneness of the six peoples that make up Guyana, of our people, irrespective of our religion, unity and oneness across the 10 regions. It’s also about ensuring that every single Guyanese person enjoys improvement in their lives, livelihood, improved well-being and prosperity, irrespective of where you come from, live, [your] ethnicity or religion,” the minister said.

Minister Singh further added: “One Guyana is also about participating in this transformation that is taking place in the country. According to President Ali and the PPP/C party, you must not only have to go to schools in Georgetown or New Amsterdam or Skeldon, Linden or Anna Regina to achieve top results, you must be able to go to school right here in Orealla/Siparuta and also achieve top results comparable to anyone else anywhere in the country.”

OPPORTUNITIES

The finance minister charged the parents to ensure that their children make the most of the opportunities being offered, while committing the government’s role in making the opportunities available.

“We will do our part as a government: build the school, recruit the teachers, purchase the books, equip the schools. I am appealing to you parents; you also have the responsibility to discharge. The well-being of the community is in the hands of the young people of your village. You have to ensure they take up opportunities… available to them. We want every single child, and I am saying this to the parents to hear in this community, they must complete primary education successfully. We have built the school; teachers have been employed and you the parents have to ensure that the children attend. Once the children complete primary school, we want every secondary-aged schoolchild in Guyana to be able to complete secondary school education in Guyana, universal secondary education. Every child must have an opportunity to complete secondary education and write their CSEC exams.”

Meanwhile, in addressing some issues identified regarding the primary school, he said that work will be undertaken to address these as well as the electricity issues and internet-connectivity issues that were raised by residents.

He said that a team from the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) would be deployed in the new week to Sipiruta to ensure that the WIFI connection is restored to the community.

Minister Singh also urged those gathered to utilise the opportunities that are available under the GOAL scholarship programme and other initiatives to empower themselves.

Residents, in expressing gratitude, said that construction of the school is a ground-breaking development for Orealla and the fulfilling of a long-standing demand made by residents.

They related that children will no longer have to journey to the coast to access an education.