A spanking new teaching block for the Kuru Kururu primary school on the East Bank of Demerara was handed over to the Department of Education Region Four by the Basics Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) on Friday.
A release from Region Four on Saturday said that the new building constructed at a cost of $47,658,478 was handed over to head teacher of the school, Linda Pearl by Project Manager, Dikedemma O. Utoh who voiced satisfaction and happiness that his organisation could help in enhancing education through the construction of the new building. Utoh revealed that it was in February of 2017, when the request was made for an intervention to be made, by the Caribbean Development Bank-funded BNTF implementing agency here in Guyana.
“The Kuru Kururu Primary School was operating significantly over capacity, i.e. less than 1.86 m2 (20 ft2) of classroom space per pupil. Additionally, the physical condition of the buildings/facilities posed an environmental threat and was not conducive for learning/teaching,” he said, according to the Region Four release.
The BNTF Project Manager noted the enrolment of the school was nine hundred and seventy-six students. However, he pointed out that based on the teachers’ reports, the average attendance for the month of January 2017 was 658 students (348 males and 310 – females) which he said reflected an average of 318 absentees.
“This alarming rate of absenteeism was due to overcrowding of the school, thus, defeating the objectives of teaching and learning,” the Project Manager said. The BNTF official said that it is expected that the new teaching block will not only improve attendance, but also contribute to the realisation of better grades and results at the various examination levels from students.
“The direct beneficiaries are not only from the community of Kuru Kururu. But also the communities of Waikabra, Laluni, Madewini and Hillfoot,” he told those in attendance. He disclosed that the construction commenced on August 24, 2017 and was completed on January 12, 2018. The design and supervision consultants were E&A Consultants Inc. and the contractor was Sattaur Mohamed and Son Construction and Hardware Supplies.
