300 St George’s High students accommodated at various schools

Close to 300 displaced students from St George’s High School are being accommodated at secondary schools in Georgetown, Region Four and Region Three.

This is in addition to 120 students who are being accommodated at the South Ruimveldt Secondary, bringing the total to 420 students.

St George’s High was destroyed by fire back in July.

Information from the Education Ministry states that officials are working assiduously to place the remaining students within schools that best serve their  immediate needs. This is being done in consultation with parents and guardians.

 In addition to South Ruimveldt Secondary, learners are being accommodated at West Ruimveldt (19), Freeburg Secondary (23), Kingston Secondary (24), Cummings Lodge Secondary (39), Covent Garden Secondary (38), Vreed-en-hoop Secondary (5), Queenstown Secondary (6), Friendship Secondary (8), St. John’s College (8), Plaisance Secondary (13), Dolphin Secondary (8), Carmel Secondary (2), L’Aventure Secondary (1), Richard Ishmael Secondary (1), Tucville Secondary (22), Annandale Secondary (1), and Golden Grove Secondary (2).

Continuous registration is being done for all learners who have not yet been placed, and will be completed in the shortest possible time to avoid further disruptions.

The  ministry’s priority is to ensure that all learners from St. George’s High continue to receive all the help they need with alternative arrangements.

Calling the fire “extremely inconvenient,” Education Minister Priya Manickchand noted that while learning happens in many ways and alternative arrangements could be made, the school accommodated students living within its proximity – hence the continuous registration process to place every student as close as possible to home.

With regards to the future of the high school,  Minister Manickchand said the land is owned by the Anglican Church. However, whether the school is rebuilt at the same location or not, Minister Manickchand stated that a school needs to be built since most schools in Georgetown are operating at full capacity.

The plan to have the school rebuilt is still being formulated. 

The Guyana Fire Service has completed its investigation into the fire which destroyed the school on July 20, 2022.