New St. Mary’s Secondary School to cost $560.7M

Jun 21, 2023 News

Kaieteur News – Construction of the new $560.7M St. Mary’s Secondary School will begin soon as the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Education signed six contracts for the construction works.

The signing was witnessed by subject minister Priya Manickchand at her Brickdam, Georgetown office. The contracts were signed by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary (PS), Alfred King who stated at the simple ceremony that the brand new building will be a three-storey facility which is expected to be completed in six to seven months. The new modern building will be built at Camp Street and Brickdam where the old school was previously housed.

According to the PS, once completed the upper flat of the building will accommodate 10 classrooms, while the second flat will house 12 classrooms along with a Teachers’ Staffroom and a sanitary block. The lower flat will be equipped with six laboratories (labs) including labs for Information Technology, Home Economics, and Industrial Technology, canteen and the auditorium. When completed, the school would be able to accommodate some 600 students.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand alongside the contractors and ministry officials on Tuesday.

King also noted that the building will be outfitted with a number of fire prevention methods such as fire escape exits, escape doors, fire alarms, extinguishers, limited timber usage, metal ceilings and fire retardant panels.

The PS shared that the construction of the building will be supervised by Origin Investment, and that the ministry is expecting that the contractor executes its duties effectively.

“We are expecting that they do just that because our experiences recently is that the oversight and supervision of some of our works is not in keeping with what we expect in standard and timely delivery and quality and so we will be paying attention to that,” he mentioned.

This publication had reported that according to the Ministry’s invitation for bids, the project has been divided into six lots with Lot1 consisting of works on the superstructure of the building, Lot2 includes the block works (completion of exterior and internal walls), Lots 3 is the plumbing works, Lot4 is the electrical works, Lot5 is for the external works, while Lot 6 consist of the finishing works.

Designs of the new St. Mary’s Secondary School. (Photo courtesy, Ministry of Education)

It was shared that Lots 1 and 2 were awarded to K&S General Construction Inc. in the sum of $286,193,658 and $135,590,000, respectively; Lots 3 & 5 was awarded to A. Ograsein & Sons General Contracting in the sum of $12,969,800.00 and $33,379,100, respectively; Lot 4 was given to Cummings Electrical Company Limited to the tune of $12,867,874, and lastly Lot 6 was given to R&D Engineering Service Inc. to the tune of $66,663,900.

Delivering brief remarks yesterday, Minister Manickchand stated that the construction of this school is another step towards achieving universal secondary education. She noted that over the last three years, the Ministry has been working assiduously to achieve that goal by extending and rebuilding secondary schools as well as constructing new schools.

She also disclosed that they are looking to achieve universal secondary education by the year 2024.

“What we want in Guyana is for every child, where they live must be able to access a secondary education, universally that means all over Guyana,” she said.

In addition to the St George’s High School, Christ Church Secondary School, North Ruimveldt Secondary School and North West Secondary School which are currently being rebuilt, several other schools will be constructed across the country. These will be at Hosororo, Kwebana, and Waramuri in Region One (Barima -Waini). Two new schools are being built in Region Three (Essequibo Islands- West Demerara). A secondary school will be built in Orealla, Region Six (East Berbice- Corentyne). In Region Seven (Cuyuni- Mazaruni) there will be a school at Jawalla in the Upper Mazaruni. Finally, in Region Eight (Potaro- Siparuni), the dormitories at Paramakatoi and Kato will be extended.

The Minister noted too that the schools are being built with modern specifications and will be offering students the opportunity to pursue subjects which were never offered before in some areas.

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contract signed, Ministry of Education, new building, St. Mary’s Secondary School, universal secondary education

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