Today, the Ministry of Education signed six contracts to the tune of $560.7 million for the rehabilitation of St Mary’s High School, a release from the Ministry of Education said.
Two contracts were awarded to K&S General Construction Inc. in the sum of $286,193,658 and $135,590,000. A. Ograsein & Sons General Contracting was also awarded two contracts in the sum of $12,969,800 and $33,379,100. Meanwhile, Cummings Electrical Company Ltd and R&D Engineering Service Inc., were awarded contracts in the sum of $25,867,874 and $66,663,900 respectively.
The three-storey building is expected to be completed in seven months, the release said. Once completed the upper flat of the building will accommodate 1o classrooms, while the second flat will house 12 classrooms along with a Teachers’ Staffroom and a sanitary block.
The lower flat will be outfitted with six laboratories including labs for Information Technology, Home Economics, and Industrial Technology, a canteen and the auditorium.
It will also be equipped with a number of fire prevention methods such as fire escape exits, escape doors, fire alarms, extinguishers, metal ceilings & fire retardant panels. There will be limited use of timber. Fire safety has become a major issue for the ministry in recent years.
The contracts were signed in the Ministry of Education’s 26 Brickdam boardroom by Permanent Secretary, Alfred King.
During brief remarks, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand stated that this is another step towards achieving universal secondary education. She noted that over the last three years, the Ministry of Education has been working to achieve that goal by extending and rebuilding secondary schools as well as constructing new ones.
She noted that the schools are being built with modern specifications and will be offering students the opportunity to pursue subjects which were never offered before in some areas.