Latest update October 2nd, 2026 10:27 AM
Jun 20, 2021 News
Kaieteur News – North Ruimveldt Multilateral Secondary School was yesterday severely damaged by fire, causing the entire upper floor of the building to be demolished.
An eyewitness told Kaieteur News that he saw smoke emitting from the school at 11:00hrs and the Fire Service was contacted immediately.
He said that however, the fire fighter only arrived until after 13:00hrs, some two hours later. When Kaieteur News arrived on the scene around 14:00hrs, firefighters were desperately trying to control the flames.
The Minister of Home Affairs, Robeson Benn was on the scene, going so far as to entering the burning building along with the firefighters, as the principal, Allison Cosbert, along with other teachers, some of whom had attended the very institution, watched in horror as the flames continue to grow larger despite the firefighter’s efforts.

The aftermath of the fire.This includes a smart room (this was the first smart room to be installed in a secondary school by the Ministry of Education), the school’s information technology room, the upper staff room, the school’s library and the technical drawing and architecture room, all of which were located on the top flat of the building.
In her statements, Principal Cosbert told the media that she received a call from a past teacher while at the hairdresser and hustled to meet at the burning building. She said that she arrived at the building at 15:15hrs and was saddened at the scene, which she was met with.
The fire, in its wake, destroyed millions worth in equipment and materials.
The Minister of Education, Priya Manikchand, was on the scene and addressed members of the media on the situation. According to the Minister, the building is one of the country’s A-list educational facilities. The school had a total of 512 students registered, 65 of whom are currently waiting to write the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC – CXC) examinations.
She mentioned that the government will make arrangements to ensure that the students are adequately placed to sit their examination. She went on to say that seeing it is an A-list school, there is no choice and it will be repaired. She stated that the origin of the fire is yet to be known.
The Minister also informed the media that there has already been a plan to determine where the students will be placed to accommodate the sitting of their examinations and that the students will have the full support of the Central Ministry as well as the government to successfully write the CSEC exams.
North Ruimveldt Multilateral started construction in 1970 and was completed in 1975.
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