President’s College gets $2.5 million upgrade

Sep 03, 2013 News

– as officials defend state of institution

Following on the heels of daunting concerns highlighted at one of Guyana’s premiere education facilities–President’s College – Government through the Ministry of Education has taken a hands-on approach towards improving its condition.
In fact a sum of $2.5 million was recently expended to facilitate the upgrade of the school’s Biology and Chemistry laboratories.
This is in addition to a quantity of computers for its Information Laboratory that also presented to the school. PC, as it is popularly known, has also been the recipient of several printers and two projectors, according to information emanating from the Ministry’s Public Relations Department.

Students of President’s College reciting the National Pledge yesterday.

It was also disclosed that infrastructural works were undertaken, including the replacement of windows and tiles, which comes as part of the efforts to rehabilitate the school in time for the new academic year, which commenced yesterday.
But according to Principal Karen Canterbury, recent concerns highlighted about the school are in fact rather “destructive, because efforts and systems are being put in place to maintain President’s College in every aspect.”
She disclosed that both the academic and non-academic programmes as well as the physical environs are constantly being improved with a view of keeping the institution “up to standard and to keep the name of the institution flying high.”
According to the headmistress, the efforts being plugged into the school have allowed for consistent outstanding performances at both the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examination and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination.
The Principal’s comment were supported by other senior officials including the school’s Administrator, Ms Burgess, who is convinced that the “bad” condition of the school might have been highlighted at a time when works were being undertaken. “Maybe when the media had come here, the place was not cleaned. All the years that I have been here, I have been helping to keep this place tidy, and I have been here for the past three years,” said Burgess. She also slammed reports that the condition of the school is not conducive to learning, adding that “the Ministry has been very supportive to the school over the years,” to ensure quality education is delivered by well qualified teachers.
According to her, the only logical complaint that could have been highlighted about the institution was the fact that bushes were evident around the school’s compound ahead of the start of the new school year.
Speaking to the condition of the school, parent of a new entrant, Yonnette Fraser, said that she is dissatisfied with the reports publicised about the school since her personal observation revealed otherwise. “When I came here for myself, I am seeing things differently…I am satisfied with what I see at the school although there is need for a little more cleaning up,” added the La Bonne Intention, East Coast Demerara, resident.
And according to Michael McKenzie, whose daughter has just entered Grade Nine, the level of education at the school could be improved when compared to the past. He is of the firm view that the surroundings of any school have a great deal to do with a child’s learning. “We just can’t take it for granted that you we are going to concentrate on the academics and ignore the physical infrastructure,” McKenzie told and Education Ministry official. “We need to get our children to understand that despite the negative circumstances they might be faced with, ultimately, they must use that as a stepping stone to push them forward to achieve whatever it is they need to acquire in this life. “We can’t allow situations to always get us down. We need to triumph over our trials,” added a very vocal McKenzie.