Central High School which was located on Smyth Street, Georgetown, as of September 2019, was merged with St. Mary’s High School and is now the “The New Central High School.”
This announcement was disclosed at Central High School’s final graduation in November. However no word was given as to the reason for merging one school with the other. The school’s building on Smyth Street was the subject of much criticism as the structure which housed hundreds of students appeared to be derelict.
Following the revelation that the school, which existed since 1928 would be no more, a number of former Central High School students in various ways called out the Ministry of Education (MoE) and government for neglecting the school as it has been in need of renovations for some years.
In a letter written to Stabroek News back in November, GHK Lall, a former student noted that the issues facing the school were known by the previous administration and the current government. The letter noted that the school needed land and space to improve the school’s facilities.
Lall wrote that he was disappointed to see that the ‘A’ Grade institution was “intellectually diluted.”
Another letter writer, K. Smith, stated that the government is erasing the history, legacy and achievements of the school. In his letter, Smith observed that though the school has recorded outstanding academic performances over the years, “The government has failed to find an alternative building with adequate resources for the school.”
Smith went on to write that a number of other schools have benefitted over the years from investments and improvements, while Central High School has received none. He further noted that students, teachers and parents over the years, have continually asked for a new building with modern facilities, but their calls were ignored by the MoE. He too lamented the fact that the school was merged with a lower graded school.
To date, no word has been given by the MoE with regard to the decision to merge the school with St Mary’s High School and relocate it to the Princes Street building. However, the ministry’s PRO told this newspaper that further information on this issue would be forthcoming in the new week.
