In an effort to address the issue of space constraints, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand on Wednesday commissioned a new $85M wing at the St Winefride’s Secondary School.
The new wing consists of classrooms which will be occupied by 135 students from Grades Nine and 11 and a Science laboratory.
It was named after one of the school’s first headmistresses, Avril Crawford.
Delivering remarks at the commissioning ceremony, Manickchand said that the establishment of the new block will alleviate space constraints previously faced by the school.
“We are going to send you programmes and bring programmes here, now that we have everybody back on campus that will make you rounded students.
“Not just academically strong but also rounded, able to take on issues when you get out there in the world. Able to participate in this new thriving Guyana,” Manickchand said.
With the ministry providing the necessary resources so children can learn in a comfortable environment, Manickchand urged teachers to ensure that the necessary values are instilled in every student.
According to the headmistress of the school, Rowena Seymour, a decision was taken to build the new block in June 2022. Prior to this, some students were forced to attend school on a rotation basis.
“Grade Seven students reported for two days while Grade Eight students reported for three days. Parents were frustrated with this system but were pleased when the teachers used the blended teachers approach to reach the students. Teachers also used worksheets to assist with covering topics during missed days,” Seymour said.
The project to construct the modern two-storey concrete structure was executed by Singh and Son’s Construction.
