The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs received a donation of 30 mattresses from Food for the Poor for the Sand Creek secondary school dormitory in Region 9 which is also accommodating 50 additional students from the North Pakaraimas in Region 8, owing to overcrowding at the Paramakatoi secondary school dormitory.
A release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said that during a recent visit to Sand Creek, Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai delivered the 30 single bed mattresses to the recently constructed $77.7 million Sand Creek secondary school, which had opened with 88 students on September 3, 2012.
GINA said that the government is currently building another school at Kato in Region 8 that will house more than 100 students.
During her visit Minister Sukhai told the children about the government’s incremental efforts to increase access to secondary education across the country. She explained that education at all levels will continue to be the priority focus of the government as it recognises that the sector is critical to youth development.
She said that the government has committed to significant annual investment in programmes such as the school uniform and school feeding and continues to provide child friendly facilities for students in order to satisfy the demand for a well-educated labour force to develop the country.
The minister urged the students to take advantage of the opportunity afforded them through attending the school so that when they leave the secondary institution they will be educated and equipped to stand on their own and to help develop Guyana.
GINA said that the Sand Creek Secondary School was the newest of 13 boarding institutions serving hinterland students.
It is a two-storey building with 15 classrooms, two laboratories, an administrative office, home economics and industrial arts divisions, a computer room and a large dormitory housing students from outlying districts in Region 9, and the students from Region 8.
