The Ministry of Education yesterday held the official sod-turning ceremony for a new Nismes Secondary School.
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, led the ceremony for the project on the West Bank of Demerara which will serve 800 students.
A release from the Ministry of Education said that the project, with a total investment of $1,336,166,784, is an essential part of the Government’s commitment to enhancing educational facilities and expanding access to quality learning environments.
Located in the La Grange–Nismes district, construction work for the school has been divided into five lots, awarded to “trusted contractors” with a range of completion timelines.
The release said that ECS Construction & General Supplies has been awarded Lot 1, with a contract sum of $237,050,110, and Lot 2, valued at $237,427,608. Both are scheduled to be completed in eight months. JK Enterprise Inc. is overseeing Lot 3, valued at $392,372,526, also with an eight-month timeline. Mason’s Inno-vative Construction will take charge of Lot 4, valued at $154,448,800, with an expedited three-month schedule. Finally, R&R General Construction & Supplies has been awarded Lot 5, valued at $314,867,740, with an eight-month completion timeline.
“We set about immediately looking to see how we can build secondary schools with the view that every single child in this country – whether you’re from Georgetown or you’re from here on the West Bank, or you’re from the deep hinterland or you live on a mountaintop – you must be able to access a secondary education”, the minister explained.
She expressed appreciation towards One Communications – formerly GTT – regarding the donating of a portion of land that was initially theirs to the school.
“I have to say that after negotiations, they’ve been very kind to say they’re going to give us that piece of land, and I so want to recognize One Communica-tions for donating a piece of land to the secondary education of the children of the West Bank”, she stated.
