Construction is currently underway on the new $560.7 million St Mary’s Secondary School, at its previous location on Brickdam, Georgetown.
When completed, the school will accommodate approximately 600 learners.
The modern three-story facility will be outfitted with 10 classrooms on the top floor, 12 on the middle floor, and six laboratories on the lower flat for information communication technology (ICT), science and technology, home economics, and industrial arts.
The school will also have a teachers’ staffroom, a sanitary block, a canteen, and an auditorium, as well as fire safety mechanisms including fire escape exits, fire alarms, and fire extinguishers.
The six contracts were inked last year for the project which is being executed by K&S General Construction Inc., A. Ograsein and Sons General Construction, Cummings Electrical Company, and R&D Engineering Service Inc.
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, recently visited the construction site to inspect the progress of the works.
Meanwhile, works are also advancing on other schools throughout Guyana such as St George’s High, North Ruimveldt Secondary, Christ Church, Karasabai Secondary, Tuschen Secondary, North West Secondary, and Hosororo Secondary, among others.
The construction of these new facilities aligns with another pivotal step being undertaken by the government in attaining universal secondary education by 2025 while improving access to quality education for the nation’s children.
Schools are being built to modern specifications, offering subjects in various areas that have never been offered before.
Additionally, to guarantee that every child benefits from comfortable learning environments, the government is continuously investing in the necessary infrastructure for schools countrywide.
As such, new schools will also be built this year in several areas including Aishalton, Christianburg, Jawalla, Kopinang, Micobie, Kuribrong, Lake Mainstay, Pennack, Red Creek, Foulis, Mibicuri, and Tuschen, amongst others.
A total of $28.7 billion has been budgeted to construct, rehabilitate, and maintain school buildings in 2024.
A total of $105 billion was spent by the education sector in 2023 to carry out a wide range of policies and programmes, and $135.2 billion has been set aside in 2024 to accelerate Guyana’s goal of providing world-class education.
