Minister of Education Priya Manickchand disclosed this information while conducting an assessment of the work that has been completed on the school.
The decision to extend the school was due to insufficient space to accommodate over 200 grade seven and eight students who are currently using an annexe at Soesdyke Primary School.
A total of $47.2 million is being invested to extend the building, and the contract was awarded to Ele’s Trading and Hardware.
Minister Manickchand said, “I am very happy with the extension I have seen, which is ready for September for the children of Soesdyke Secondary.”
The minister acknowledged that, even with the school’s extension, more space is needed to provide a better learning environment for all of the students.
“The space capacity to take off any more extensions simply does not exist [at the school]. We will have to acquire another piece of land. I see a very nice space close by. We have to get onto the owner to see if they would sell us that plot of land,” Minister Manickchand said.
Welcoming the addition of the school was Headmaster Cledwin Williams, who noted that the expansion will provide a conducive learning space for the students to engage in various activities.
“I appreciate the extension that was done,” Williams said.
In response to the minister’s pledge to provide a shade house at the school for the students to engage in agricultural activities, Williams said, “Our agriculture science department will get to another level for our students to engage in agriculture. They are going to benefit from that. We are thankful for that.”
Since taking office in August 2020, the government has embarked on an aggressive, nationwide initiative to upgrade infrastructure and implement educational programmes to ensure students have comfortable learning environments and are equipped with the necessary tools to develop. (Department of Public Information)
