Already, Regions 2, 4, 5 and 10 have achieved this status, while Regions 1, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are set to achieve this goal by the end of 2015.

Having already achieved universal primary education, Government, through the Ministry of Education is working zealously to ensure that every secondary age child has access to a secondary school, regardless of their location.

A new secondary school is currently being constructed at Kato, Region Eight while Lusignan, in Region Four and other areas will also benefit from similar infrastructure.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand today visited the West Demerara Secondary School at Pouderoyen, where she engaged parents on the school’s extension project, and sought to guarantee their full participation so as to ensure quality work.

This $22.6M extension project was contracted to Vision and General Contracting Services, and will accommodate six additional class rooms. This two-storey building will have corridors on both floors and will cater for the disabled. It has six-month duration and work will begin immediately.

The West Demerara Secondary has a complement of 32 teachers, and its 19 classrooms house 650 students. It is outfitted with science lab, home economics department, and technical drawing, woods and electronics rooms, and a library. The school offers more than 23 subjects at the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) exams.

A section of the gathering at the meeting with Education Minister Priya Manickchand at the West Demerara Secondary School

Over the past 50 years, this “A” list school has produced many outstanding and prominent figures, while over the past seven years the school has topped the region at CXC and was placed amongst the top secondary schools in Guyana.

Minister Manickchand highlighted the importance of education, noting that the only way to ensure continuous economic growth is to ensure that the country’s children are well educated.

The Education Minister said that having provided the necessary infrastructure, Government is now focusing on how to improve participation, and the quality of education delivered, hence, the implementation of a number of programmes and policies targeting these areas.

“Education is extremely important to the PPP Government and we know that if Guyana is to advance and progress it’s to invest in you and we believe every investment in our children is an investment in our dear land of Guyana, and that is why we have no problem plugging (money) into the sector and helping parents,” Minister Manickchand emphasised.

 One such programme is the $10,000 cash grant for which every nursery, primary and secondary age student in the public system is expected to benefit. Minister Manickchand took the opportunity to enlighten the parents on this initiative which is expected to be rolled out in September.

“The PPP/C promises that we will continue to look after you and your children, we will continue to invest in you and we look forward sincerely to your support where necessary,” Minister Manickchand told those gathered at the event.

Meanwhile, expansion work is expected to take place at several educational institutions. Work has commenced on the Friendship Secondary School, East Bank Demerara which is expected to be completed on February 25, 2015. 

Source -- http://74.220.215.210/~ginagov...from-22-6m-extension