ENSURING that all learners regardless of where they live have an opportunity to thrive, the Ministry of Education is building a modern Tabatinga Secondary School, in addition to a teachers’ quarters.

Once completed, the new educational facility will accommodate the overflow at the St Ignatius Secondary School.

The community of Tabatinga is located in Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), near Lethem.

In a progress update that was posted on the ministry’s Facebook page, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand disclosed that more than 500 children will be accommodated at the modern education facility.

The school will come complete with individual classrooms, laboratories and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres, she said.

At the same time, the minister revealed the teachers’ quarters which is being constructed nearby, will house teachers.

Minister Manickchand stated, “We know that even as we train teachers now there is going to be about a 10-year period where we will have to bring in specialised teachers and we want to make sure when they come in, they’re comfortable.”

According to the education minister, this is the kind of work that is happening across Guyana, to ensure that every child has access to a nursery, primary and secondary school education.

Earlier this month, it was reported that several new secondary schools that are being built in various parts of the country are expected to be completed by September, in time for the new school year.

This allows for the complete phasing out of ‘’primary tops” in a number of regions, Minister Manickchand added.
It was noted that she had met with several regional education officers to update them on which secondary schools will be finished, which is what was used to guide how pupils who have completed the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) would be placed.

In an August, 2024 report, the education minister had emphasised government’s commitment towards ensuring that each child (from nursery to secondary school), has access to quality education across Guyana.

It is the goal of the Ministry of Education to provide not only access, but to guarantee a high standard of education, lifelong learning opportunities and careful monitoring and evaluation systems.

Notably, part of this included the construction of more than 20 new secondary schools, adding to the existing 117 secondary schools in Guyana.