$84M contract awarded to rebuild Arthurville Primary School at Wakenaam

Feb 12, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – The Government of Guyana will be spending approximately $84M to reconstruct the Arthurville Primary School located on the island of Wakenaam, Region Three. Reports are that the school was in a state of disrepair for some time.

The National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office awarded the $84,944,136 contract to Mohammed Sidique Ramson Contracting Services to rebuild the school.

Kaieteur News understands that Mohammed Sidique was among 11 contractors that submitted bids for the project last September. The Ministry had estimated that the project would cost $90,777,704.

In May 2022, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand informed parents and students of the Primary School that it would be rebuilt. The Minister was at the time visiting the school to address several concerns raised by parents about the deteriorating state of the building.

“Due to the worsening condition of the school’s physical structure over the years, it was decided in March of this year to move the children and teachers out of the school and have them accommodated at the Sans Souci Primary School,” a statement issued by the Ministry said.

Minister Manickchand had informed the parents that the Arthurville Primary School will not be shut down but rather it will be demolished and a new and modern structure will be built at the same location.

“This school is going to continue but you have to give us time to build it. I can’t know what I know and keep children and teachers here because I won’t be able to live with myself if anything is to ever happen to them,” Minister Manickchand told the parents.

She had informed them that every effort is being made within the Central Ministry and at the Regional level to see how quickly the school can be rebuilt. Minister Manickchand had mentioned that the latest the island should expect the new school is 2023, but efforts would be made to have it completed as early as possible.

Following her visit, it was reported that some $307 million was approved for the Education Ministry in the supplementary budget. The Minister, following the approval of the supplementary budget had posted on her Facebook page that money was approved to rebuild the Arthurville Primary School as promised.

According to the Financial Paper No.1 2022, from that $307 million, $27,232,550 was set aside to facilitate the construction of a primary school in Wakenaam.

This year, some $12.4 billion was set aside towards the construction, rehabilitation, extension, and maintenance of educational facilities. This allocation will also facilitate the completion of the primary school building.

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Arthurville Primary School, Government of Guyana, Mohammed Sidique Ramson Contracting Services, National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), Priya Manickchand

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