42 projects at Region Two schools – Min Manickchand

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Priya Manickchand, has highlighted several major upgrades which will be carried out for multiple schools in Region Two. The goal is improve the delivery of Education and lift the standard of living for residents within the region.

Responding to questions on the education sector posed by opposition members during the Consideration of the Estimates and Expenditures in the 2026 National Budget, Minister Manickchand said Region Two has now achieved universal secondary education.

“Rebuilding of Abram Zuil…with Cotton Field under construction right now, Kabukaburi and Wakapau becoming, [these are] not annexes but actual secondary schools that are going to be rehabilitated with dorms and all that you actually have physical space and access for the children with trained teachers,” she said, while noting that the schools will also have added features such as access to online learning.

She noted that with all these improvements, better results are expected.

“There are 4 rollover projects, the construction of a new Nursery School at Bethany, the construction of a new nursery school at Siriki, a new nursery school at Hackney and the construction of a duplex living quarter at Friendship Primary,” she stated.

There are 42 new projects in Region Two where schools will be constructed, rehabilitated or extended.

These include the construction of a new nursery school at Capoey, while the Mainstay, Lima and Underneeming Nursery schools will be extended.

There will also be the construction of a duplex living quarters for Ulele Primary and Jacklow Primary schools, while Anna Regina Secondary, Hampton Court Nursery, Hackney Primary, Capoey and Adventure will benefit from new sanitary facilities.

The Charity Secondary School will also be rehabilitated, Minister Manickchand said.

Marlborough, Mainstay Siriki Primary, Anna Regina Secondary, Strong Hope Primary, Bethany Primary, St Monica and Mashabo will all benefit from the construction of water trestles.

In addition, Wakapoa, Lilidale, Jacklow, Lima Sands, Tapakuma, Barakara and Strong Hope schools will all benefit from new kitchens.  

There will also be the construction of a revetment at Martindale Primary, the construction of a reinforced concrete drain at Better Hope Primary, the construction of a walkway and shed at 8 of May Secondary and the construction of a walkway and shed at Wakapoa Primary.

“I’m sure you’re as happy as I am that we have 42 schools that are going to be benefiting from new work,” the minister said.

Pointing out that while Guyana does not have compulsory nursey education, the government is committed to achieving universal nursery primary education with new “schools going up across the country, particularly in the hinterland riverine areas where I think we’re close to probably 92-93% universal access at the nursery [level], although we’ve never promised it,” she reminded the committee.

The minister noted that Charity Secondary School has requested an extension to better host students from Wakapoa and Kabakaburi.

She told the Committee of Supply that the request will be considered along with other factors before a decision can be made.

“I’m not a fan of annexing any school, because you have problems with the administration, you could only have one head teacher, and then you know you don’t have a head teacher for the annexe, you’re not present every day, and all that, so I am not a fan of annexes,” she stated.

Kabukaburi, formerly an annexe of Charity Secondary School, is now a main secondary school.

“Kabukaburi is… going to have their own staff, their own administration, their own cleaners,… and that’s a more wholesome way to educate our secondary age children,” she stated.

The construction of the Siriki nursery school is completed and now in use, while the Cottonfield secondary is scheduled to be completed in time for the September term.

The minister also reminded the committee that teachers will be receiving a stipend based on the number of children in their classes, and they can use it to purchase whatever supplies they need.