$22.5M secondary school for Yupukari, Region Nine

For the first time, students from the community of Yupukari in Region Nine will no longer have to worry about travelling great distances to receive their secondary education, as construction has commenced on a new $22.5 million secondary building there.  

The facility will have the capacity to house 60 students from Yupukari as well as Fly Hill, Kaicumbay and Quatata.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand noted that this is one of several secondary schools that is under construction in Region Nine.

Once completed, Yupukari Secondary will significantly address issue of over-crowdedness at St Ignatius Secondary School.

“We are very happy to be able to serve you and do this… [At this school], we will also cater for the children from Fly Hill and Quatata,” she stated during a site visit to the school on Saturday.

In addition to the construction of schools, the ministry is also making sure that these schools are staffed with trained teachers to deliver high-quality education to the nation’s youth.

Minister Manickchand further divulged, “We have to make sure that once teachers are in the school that they are actually giving us solid teaching and education. We are monitoring and evaluating how that is happening.”

Currently, a total of 7 secondary schools are under construction in the region at Karasabai, Nappi, Marurunau, Tabatinga, Massara, and Katoka.

Meanwhile, Toshao of Yupukari, Russian Dorrick welcomed the timely construction of the new school in Yupukari as it will address the educational needs of the community.

“We have a whole lot of children going to St Ignatius Secondary School at the moment…It is timely because we have more than 170 primary school children. We are moving forward. [and] I must thank the Government of Guyana for looking into the education sector,” he added.

He noted the construction of the new school will also ease the financial burden for many parents, emphasising that the parents will be able to conduct regular check-ups on their children.

The construction of the school is also bringing other relief to the community with labour being sourced directly from Yupukari.