Matthews Ridge to get $290M students’ dormitory
Kaieteur News – Complementing the new secondary school that will soon be built at Matthews Ridge, Region One is the construction of the students’ dormitory which will be constructed for $290 million.
This is according to information provided by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB) who recently awarded the $290,460,000 contract to JK Enterprise Inc. The dormitory will cater for students who live in neighbouring villages such as Baramita and Arakaka who will attend the secondary school when it is completed.
As reported previously, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is undertaking the project for the construction of the first ever secondary school building in Matthews Ridge. NPTAB which awarded the contract earlier last month will see Prored Resources building the new school for $350 million.
Kaieteur News understands that the secondary school for Matthews Ridge is among several the government is constructing in the hinterland this year. Secondary school aged students would usually utilize the primary top (secondary department in the primary school) to receive their education and would have to travel to nearby Port Kaituma to sit their CXC examination.
In Region One, five new secondary schools will be constructed in various communities including North-West, Kwebanna, Matthews Ridge, Waramuri and Hosororo.
Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand at a previous press conference had said that her government would continue to build schools, so as to give children an opportunity to not only finish school, but to capitalize on tertiary education.
This year, the Education Ministry was allocated some $74.4B, a portion of which will be used for the construction, rehabilitation, extension and maintenance of educational facilities.
With over 16 secondary schools scheduled to be constructed in the hinterlands regions, this newspaper reported that the Ministry of Education 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.
