AS the government continues on its path to enhance education across the nation, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) of Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) has opened bids for the execution of three schools, valued at approximately $75 million.

According to an ‘Invited for Bids’ (IFB) advert issued by the RDC, which was published by this newspaper recently, it is seeking eligible bidders to undertake the construction of a primary school at Red Creek Village and Pennak Village and a school at Kurubrung/Wailang Village.
Each school is estimated to cost $25 million.

Bids for the project are to be submitted on or before June 20, 2024, to the Chairman of the office of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).
“Interested eligible bidders may inspect the Bidding Document and obtain further information from the Regional Office, Regional Democratic Council No.8 Mahdia 111- Miles Potaro Road during normal working hours Monday to Friday between the hours 08:30-15:15 hrs,” the IFB read.

It added the bid shall be submitted in a plain envelope bearing no identification of the bidder and clearly marked on the top left-hand corner “Tender for” and submitted in the Tender Box.
All Bids must be accompanied by Valid Certificates of Compliance from the Manager of the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and the Commissioner of Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Notably, over 50 schools across Guyana are being either constructed or extended in a bid to improve access to education even as the Ministry of Education is finalising changes to schools’ curriculum.
This is according to Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, who made this disclosure during a recent press conference where she provided updates on the expansion of the country’s education sector.

While Guyana has achieved universal primary education, as noted by the United Nations, Manickchand stated that the country is left to achieve universal nursery and secondary education, and, as such, efforts are underway to facilitate this.
This year, she said the government is building nursery schools across the country along with several primary schools and secondary schools.

To this end, she indicated that while many critics have said that building schools mean nothing, this was one of the promises the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) made in its manifesto.
As such, Manickchand noted, “Building a school allows children to go to school. Where there’s no school, there’s no place for children to go so it’s very easy for people to say we could boast about all the schools… To the people in the hinterland, if you don’t have a school, you can’t get a secondary education.”