The East Ruimveldt Secondary School has undergone a multimillion-dollar expansion to facilitate more students and Education Minister Priya Manickchand encouraged the students there on Thursday to care for the new facilities.
Due to extreme overcrowding at the school, the Samuel B. Moffatt Wing was established as part of much-needed expansion works. In commissioning the $172.6 million block, Education Minister Priya Manickchand urged the students to work towards improving the school’s output at the national level using the amenities provided.
“We don’t only want to put you in classrooms and have you sit there, we want to make sure that you have a quality education when you go into those classrooms.
“We have where we’re building labs and furnishing them and equipping them so that you have wide choices here. The point is that we don’t only want you to sit in a classroom, we want you to enjoy your secondary schooling and we want you to emerge from these schools successful,” Minister Manickchand said.
East Ruimveldt Secondary is among several schools undergoing multimillion-dollar expansions to fix overcrowding at schools. The school’s Principal Katheryn Fraser said during the COVID-19 pandemic there was an intake of 157 students. She explained that it became apparent upon the return to face-to-face classes that more space was needed.
The students were being taught under tents outside the school before it was upgraded to a shed and with the intervention of the ministry.
“When we started face-to-face interaction, we realised that our main building was not fit to accommodate our students so the intervention of the Ministry of Education, the tent was suggested with the intention of our building following shortly.
“The school’s population is growing and I know for certain with our new block the accommodation problem is now resolved,” Principal Fraser said.
Minister Manickchand said the building was slated to be completed in May 2023 and despite the setback, she is pleased to have students properly accommodated.
“Before the month ends we’re going to be sending Allied Arts to your school and what I want for each of you is in addition to the academic pursuits, every single one of you must be exposed to a musical instrument, a sports, a TVET subject and a strong sense of volunteerism,” she added.
She added that the school will have trainee teachers to complement the staff in providing the best possible quality of education.
