Sod turned to construct $1.3B Nismes Secondary School

Nov 08, 2024 News

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand alongside her team, the contractor and officials from the Region turning the sod for the Nismes Secondary School.

Kaieteur News- The Ministry of Education on Thursday turned the sod to officially start the construction of the $1.3 billion secondary school at Nismes on the West Bank of Demerara, Region Three.

Kaieteur News understands that bids were opened a few months ago and 20 contractors had applied for the contract. The project which will be done in five lots was awarded last month through the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office. According to information released by the ministry on Thursday, the project will cost $1,336,166,784 and noted that it is an essential part of the government’s commitment to enhancing educational facilities and expanding access to quality learning environments across Guyana.

The school which will benefit students from Nismes to La Grange areas will be equipped to meet the needs of students, supporting the region’s dedication to educational excellence, and a further step towards achieving Universal Secondary Education, the ministry said. This publication understands that Nismes Secondary is one of several new secondary schools which will be constructed in Region Three.

An artist impression of the Nismes Secondary School.

The contractors undertaking the $1.3 billion project are as follow: ECS Construction & General Supplies – Lot 1 for $237,050,110; ECS Construction & General Supplies – Lot 2 for $237,427,608; JK Enterprise Inc. – Lot 3 for $392,372,526; Mason’s Innovative Construction & General Supply – Lot 4 for $154,448,800; and Lot 5 will be executed by R&R General Construction & Supplies for $314,867,740.

According to the Education Ministry, Lots 1, 2, 3 and 5 is expected to be completed in eight months, while Lot 4 will be completed in three months’ time. Quoted by the ministry, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand at the sod-turning ceremony said that regardless of locations, her government is committed in building schools to ensure students have access to an education.

“We set about immediately looking to see how we can build secondary schools with the view that every single child in this country – whether you’re from Georgetown or you’re from here on the West Bank, or you’re from the deep hinterland or you live on a mountaintop – you must be able to access a secondary education,” she told the gathering.

Sod turned to construct $1.3B Nismes Secondary School

It was shared by the minister that the current location where the school will be built belonged to One Communications, and for this, she expressed appreciation towards the corporation for donating a portion of land for this project. “I have to say that after negotiations, they’ve been very kind to say they’re going to give us that piece of land, and I so want to recognize One Communications for donating a piece of land to the secondary education of the children of the West Bank,” she acknowledged.

At a commissioning ceremony for a primary school last year September, President Irfaan Ali had announced the plans for the secondary school at Nismes and one for Crane. During his speech at the time, he said the Education Ministry had completed a very important document, that is an infrastructure analysis based on population and students, and which identifies what additional infrastructure is needed based on demand of the education system.

President Ali had mentioned that one of the reasons behind building such infrastructures is that in these areas, there are new housing communities being opened, and so this is creating demands in sectors such as education. In achieving universal secondary education, Minister Manickchand noted on numerous occasions that some 26 secondary schools are being erected across the country. The ministry was allocated this year, some $74.4 billion towards the construction, rehabilitation, extension, and maintenance of educational facilities across the country among other projects.

(Sod turned to construct $1.3B Nismes Secondary School)

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Construct, cost $1.3 billion, Ministry of Education, Nismes Secondary School, Region Three, sod turned

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