Sod turned to commence construction of Kopinang Secondary School
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand alongside the contractor and other officials on Tuesday turning the sod to commence the construction of Kopinang Secondary School.
Kaieteur News – Anticipated to accommodate approximately 250 students when completed, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand on Tuesday turned the sod to mark the commencement of the $199,376,751 secondary school for Kopinang Village, Region Eight.
Kopinang Village which is home to the Amerindians of the Patamona tribe is located in the North Pakaraimas of Region Eight and is a village which lies close to the border of Brazil.
It was reported that the brand new school will be constructed by Sheriff Construction Inc. which was awarded the contract following the national bidding process through the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).
According to information disseminated from the Ministry of Education, the school which is part of a comprehensive effort by the government to expand access to secondary education across the country will feature modern amenities including laboratories, an information technology lab, and a library; ensuring a conducive learning environment for students.
This publication previously reported that plans to build a secondary school in Kopinang Village last year when Minister Manickchand visited the area and told residents about the ministry’s intention.
At the time, she mentioned “It’s going to allow us to close six primary tops in the catchment area … Right now, the children from this catchment are going to Kato or at the primary top. At Kato, they are on rotation because it’s just too many of them.”
The area identified for the $199 million secondary school.
On Tuesday at the simple ceremony, the minister further emphasized the transformative impact of the Kopinang Secondary School on the local community, stating that the children will no longer have to leave their region to access their education.
The ministry reported that the establishment of the secondary school not only addresses the educational needs of the community but also supports local economic growth by creating job opportunities and fostering community development.
Kaieteur News understands that Kopinang Secondary is one of three new schools that will be constructed in the region. The other villages that are set to get a brand new secondary school are Monkey Mountain and Micobie.
It was reported that this year, the Ministry of Education was allocated some $74.4B, a portion of which will be used for the construction, rehabilitation, extension and maintenance of educational facilities.
This newspaper reported too that the Ministry has embarked on an aggressive programme to ensure that the nation’s children have access to secondary education. The Government has set 2025 to achieve universal secondary education. To achieve this, the ministry has since moved to have several secondary schools constructed across the country.
