Sod turned to build $1.7B Cotton Field Secondary
Feb 14, 2025
Kaieteur News- Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand on Wednesday turned the sod to mark the commencement for the construction of the $1.7 billion new Cotton Field Secondary School in Region Two.
The state-of-the-art school, which is expected to be completed in August 2026, will be built by Builders Hardware, General Supplies, and Construction, who was awarded the contract through the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) office for $1,798,137,760.
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand (centre front) alongside regional and educational officials and students turning the sod for the new Cotton Field Secondary School in Region Two.
According to information provided by the ministry, the project forms part of the government’s efforts to expand and modernise the country’s educational infrastructure. With a 12-month defects liability period and a $179,813,776 mobilisation advance paid to the contractor, the construction of the school will include modern classrooms, administrative offices, sports facilities, and other essential amenities to support a well-rounded learning environment for the students of Cotton Field and surrounding areas.
At the ceremony Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, noted the importance of such a project, stating that when completed there will be trained teachers, laboratories, and spaces that are conducive to learning.
According to the ministry, the minister told the gathering, “You are the stakeholders. parents and community members and teachers. And so, this is not a school where they don’t really even check it out. This is a school, I want the bills posted on the school where they can be observed, and I want you checking to see whether this is coming up to speed, whether this is being done in the way that we want it done, whether it’s being done at the quality we want it done at, whether you pass it and you see two men on the site, or a full work site with people working. This is your school. This is our school. And I expect your full involvement.”
Kaieteur News reported previously that Regional Chairperson, Vilma DeSilva, related to this publication that one of the reasons they decided to construct a new building is to properly accommodate the increasing number of students attending the school. She said, “The existing one (school building) is very old it’s not feasible to repair. Also the population is increasing.”
This newspaper was further informed that at present 650 students attend Cotton Field Secondary. The new school building will be constructed at the current location. Due to this, the students are expected to be accommodated at the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary, which is nearby and will be attending school through a shift system, DeSilva related. “We’re also looking at a modern facility to improve the delivery of better education,” the Regional Chairperson added. Meanwhile, the Education Ministry noted that through initiatives like the construction of the school, the government is ensuring that Guyanese children have access to top-tier educational facilities that support their personal, academic, and professional growth.
(Sod turned to build $1.7B Cotton Field Secondary)
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