Sixth-form students at West Demerara Secondary School in Region Three are set to benefit from the addition of a new $27 million two-storey building which features five large classrooms and other essential amenities and will create a spacious environment for some 150 sixth-form students, a Department of Public Information (DPI) release stated yesterday.
It informed that currently, 33 students are enrolled in Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) studies at the school, which offers a variety of subjects, including Economics, Physical Education, Communication Studies, Law, and Integrated Mathematics.
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, who spoke at the commissioning ceremony yesterday, said the upgrade is part of the government’s broader plan to ensure all schools are equipped with the necessary facilities for students to excel.
She therefore encouraged them to make full use of the educational resources available to them to excel in their studies.
“Your job now is to do well… I commit to you that this is not the end for us at West Demerara [Secondary].”
The Minister also unveiled plans to construct a swimming pool and a multi-purpose court at the school, to provide students with increased recreational opportunities.
Community participation will play a significant role in these developments.
Manickchand also took the opportunity to disclose some of the plans for the region, such as the construction of several new secondary, primary, and nursery schools. A new block will also be opened at the Leonora Secondary School tomorrow.
The minister told the gathering that her ministry is currently looking for suitable land for new secondary schools at Nismes and Vreed-en-Hoop and expressed optimism that proposals for the schools will be approved by Cabinet.
“In about two years we are going to have all the secondary schools we need in Region Three,” Manickchand assured.
According to DPI, extension works at De Willem Secondary School have recently been completed and the space can now accommodate the school’s growing population. These initiatives, it added, promise to enhance access to educational opportunities for many students and reduce the need for long commutes for students.
