The village of Phillipai and surrounding areas in Upper Mazaruni, Region Seven, will benefit from a new secondary school at a cost of some $275 million, as part of government’s efforts to improve educational facilities in hinterland areas.
According to a Ministry of Education release yesterday, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, visited Phillipai on August 15, to mark the the construction of the Phillipai Secondary School. During the visit, she engaged with villagers, and took part in a sod-turning event signifying the official start of this pivotal development.
Manickchand emphasised the government’s commitment to accessible and quality education through various initiatives, including the School Feeding Programme, which ensures that students receive nutritious meals to support their learning.
“We introduced the School Feeding Programme because we want to make sure your children learn. And we researched, and our research says that you cannot learn on an empty stomach. Sometimes parents find it hard and we know that. We started it in the mid-2000s when we were a heavily indebted poor country, and even then, we gave hot meals to Amerindian villages. Not Georgetown, but the Amerindian villages, and we became a model for the world. The World Bank used us as a country to show other countries how they can do that successfully,” she explained.
According to the release, the Phillipai Secondary School, valued at $275,230,000, is set to be a modern educational facility featuring three key blocks housing Home Economics and Visual Arts classrooms, a well-equipped library, eight classrooms with essential sanitary facilities, and a sick bay.
An initial mobilization amount of $82,569,000 has been allocated to kickstart the project, which is anticipated to be completed within eight months.
The new school will serve approximately 240 students from Phillipai and surrounding areas, including Amokokopai, Klaimalu, Wayalayeng, Chimanapai, Emoikeng, Chinoweing, and Wax Creek, the release added.
