The Good Hope Secondary School on the East Coast of Demerara was commissioned yesterday by President Irfaan Ali.
The US$5.15 million state-of-the-art school was constructed to accommodate 800 students from grades 7 to 11 within new housing developments as well as from overcrowded secondary schools nearby. The school was designed by VIKAB Engineering in 2017 and construction works commenced on site during October 2018. The original contract with BK International for the Construction works was terminated in May 2021.The school was completed by Deen+Partners using an engineering procurement and construction turnkey contract. The final construction cost some US$5.15M.
The construction of the school falls under the Secondary Education Improvement Project and is being funded by the World Bank.
President Ali in his address noted that “the secondary school is not just about the physical infrastructure but a streaming system for life-long experiences…”
Facilities provided include an administrative block which will accommodate the principal, vice-principal, staff room, and guidance counsellor. The multi-purpose hall may be used for large gatherings as well as indoor sports. A canteen is provided within this building. Fully equipped home economics and TVET buildings have been provided to cater for skills-based learning. Science laboratories comprising physics, chemistry, and biology, have been constructed. The allied arts department will cater for music, visual arts, and a dance studio.
In addition there are 25 classrooms along with two information technology laboratories, a smart room, and an audio-visual room. A large library has been provided to cater for reading and research.
The entire facility was designed to accommodate persons with special needs through the use of ramps and 2 elevators. Male and female washrooms are provided for all students and teachers. These will be connected to a pressurized water system to ensure adequate supply at all times. There is also a parking area.
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand in her remarks yesterday posited that the closure of the primary tops at Paradise, Enterprise, and Enmore, will be possible with the completion of the school. She noted that it will ease the overcrowding at the secondary schools in Cummings Lodge, Bladen Hall, Golden Grove and Plaisance.
“We are well on our way to achieving universal secondary education…We know what you want for your children is for them to be better than you are. We know that is what every parent wants. We want them to have a life of quality,” the Education Minister was quoted as saying.
She also assured that what the government is doing doesn’t end here as construction of other schools is ongoing, while some have been completed and some are under construction. She referenced the way the East Coast, Linden/Soesdyke Highway, and the East Bank students suffered because there were two schools that were supposed to be built there. One at Prospect and one at Yarrowkabra. Neither was started. Manickchand also disclosed that in about a month’s time, the Yarrowkabra Secondary School will be completed to house all the students who are attending primary tops. Also present at the opening of the school were: World Bank country representative Guyana and Suriname, Diletta Doretti; Good Hope Secondary Headmistress, Anisah Woolford-Saunders; and Education Officer, Faith Joe-Gulliver.
