$296M to construct secondary school, teachers’ quarters at Karrau

Jan 23, 2025 News

Kaieteur News- The secondary school building that the government intends to construct in Karrau Village, Lower Mazaruni, Region Seven will be done at a cost of $213 million.

This is according to information provided by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) through which the project was awarded. The school project which is being executed through the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development will be complemented by a teachers’ living quarters which was also awarded by the agency at a cost of $82 million.

Karrau village in Region Seven. (Photo courtesy, Karrau Village/Facebook)

Based on NPTAB information, the school will be built by contractor Troy Dainty Construction for $213,938,305.9, while the living quarters will be constructed by Prored Resources for $82,900,000. Together the contracts bring the total to $296 million.

Karrau, an Amerindian Village, which has approximately over 500 residents, is located in Lower Mazaruni and is some five minutes away from Bartica via boat. The village has a primary and a nursery school housed in one building and would see the secondary aged students travelling to neighbouring Bartica to attend school.

Speaking about the planned school for his village, Toshao Shane Cornelius related to this publication that Karrau is regarded as one of the fastest growing communities so establishing a secondary there could have a transformative impact on the community.

Expounding further, he said that this new school will improve access to education. “Currently, students of Karrau and neighbouring communities travel long distances to reach the nearest secondary school, which is costly, time-consuming, and unsafe. A local secondary school would eliminate these barriers, making education more accessible and ensuring students can attend regularly,” he noted.

He stated that the school can enhance academic performance, noting that with easier access, students would have more time and energy to focus on their studies.

Among other transformative impacts, the Toshao related that the school would reduce dropout rates, provide economic growth and job creation and improve health and safety among children. Cornelius is of the view that difficulty of accessing secondary education often leads to higher dropout rates in remote communities. By providing a school within the village, students are more likely to continue their education, and it increases the likelihood of completing secondary school.

“A secondary school in Karrau Village could serve as a cornerstone for the community’s social, economic, and cultural development, shaping a brighter future for the young people in and around Karrau,” Toshao Cornelius expressed.

This publication had reported that when completed, the secondary school will not only benefit Karrau but Batavia, and nearby communities. Karrau Secondary is among the four new secondary schools that are being constructed in Region Seven. The others include Phillipai, Jawalla, and Issano. Government budgeted $175 billion for the education sector, of which $36.2 billion is set aside for the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of schools across the country.

($296M to construct secondary school, teachers’ quarters at Karrau)

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contract awarded, Karrau Village, Prored Resources, Secondary School, teachers living quarters, Troy Dainty Construction

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