–President Ali says, points to ongoing efforts to achieve universal secondary education, as new Yarrowkabra Secondary School officially opens
–some 26 new schools being built nationwide; three more to be opened by next week

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali, on Thursday, commissioned the new Yarrowkabra Secondary School, which will facilitate over 1,000 students, as part of ongoing efforts nationwide to not just increase the number of classrooms but to also create a conducive learning environment at every level.
The new facility on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway, replaced seven primary top schools in the region. This state-of-the-art facility is just one of 26 being built around the country, with several others slated to open within the next week.
The massive multimillion-dollar school marks a major leap for the nation’s education sector as well the government’s agenda.

According to the Head of State, Yarrowkabra Secondary School is the next step in delivering on the mandate of top-notch education to all of Guyana’s children.
Minster of Water and Housing, Collin Croal; Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister Kwame McCoy, and officials of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, also joined in celebrating this milestone with the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and her ministry.

The Head of State, in outlining the government’s agenda, said: “Our goal is not solely to increase the number of classrooms. We are also dedicated to creating a conducive learning environment.”
He added: “We firmly believe that universal access to secondary education should not be considered optional. It is an indispensable right for every child.”
Addressing the massive crowd, President Ali said the commissioning of the school was the result of a collaborative effort.

“Today, we are celebrating collective work. We are celebrating collective spirit. And we are celebrating commitment and the result of hard work,” Dr. Ali said.
He further emphasised the importance of planning in the government’s many successful projects.

“Building a school is not just about the construction and the building, it is about the planning, the identification of land, and the integration of that infrastructure in community life,” Dr. Ali said.
Progress is slated to continue in the coming weeks and months, with the President aiming to develop education in the hinterland region of Guyana. A long-held goal of the administration, President Ali said that developing education is crucial to the development of the country.

“We are committed to establishing high-quality education institutions in rural communities, ensuring that every child can access a top-class education without the need for distance learning,” the Head of State said.

Giving a brief outline of the ministry’s ongoing works, Minister Manickchand said that the commissioning of Yarrowkabra Secondary School is the first of several others taking place in the coming weeks.
“Tomorrow [today], President Ali will open Zeelugt Primary in Region Three, and I will open St. Gabriel’s Nursery in Georgetown. On Saturday, I will turn the sod in Orealla, Region Six, to build a school there,” she said.
The minister further added: “President Ali is currently building 26 secondary schools in Guyana.”

Yarrowkabra Secondary is impressive not only because of its facilities but also because the school is already in need of expansion, with more classrooms being needed to accommodate the influx of children from neighbouring regions. To facilitate the children, a bid has already been placed for the necessary expansion.
She explained: “We started this school last year, and we already need 10 new classrooms, which the Permanent Secretary has already put out to bid.”
In the government’s approach to education, the President affirmed that just as much effort is being placed into the human resources aspect of the education sector, primarily teachers, as it is on the infrastructural side. The aim, the Dr. Ali said, is to have the nation’s schools deliver the highest quality education, with every child benefitting.