IF good weather allows, the physical structure of the Kato Secondary school, Region 8 should be completed by the end of January 2015, according to Regional Executive Officer, Ronald Harsawack. The REO recently accompanied, President Donald Ramotar, Ministers, Priya Manickchand and Juan Edghill and others on a tour of the facility which is currently under construction.
According to Harsawack, on completion, the Kato Secondary school can be considered the single largest investment in the education sector.
The main structure carries a cost of $780M, but on completion, can rack up a total of as much as $1B, as the cost of furnishing; lighting, fencing, and security have still to be added.
The school will be able to accommodate close to 400 students with a dormitory built to house more than 250. This school will serve children from communities including, Kato, Kurukubaru, Monkey Mountain, and other surrounding Amerindian communities.
The PPP/C Government has always prioritised education, placing it at the top of the agenda; and under successive PPP/C Governments, more than 1000 schools have been built or rehabilitated.
From 1994, 14 nursery schools in the hinterland increased to 116 in 2014, primary schools moved from 111 to 139 and secondary from 5 to 12.
A number of dorm facilities have also been constructed and renovated in Regions 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9 to accommodate the growing number of students.
According to Harsawack, due to improved access to education and other investments made, more parents are sending their children to school and putting pressure on the existing infrastructure at Paramakatoi.
Further, he explained that this will reduce some cost to the administration as in the past children from some surrounding communities had to be shuttled on aircraft to Region 9 to attend secondary school.
“This would be the most modern school upon completion, Information Technology lab, Technical Drawing, Wood Working lab etc…”
In addition, there will also be accommodation for teachers if the region is unable to source teachers from within.
The provision of universal access to secondary education is among the new wave of commitment that Government is determined to achieve; and more so, to cater for the influx of children completing primary school education.
Source: http://guyanachronicle.com/2014/11/19/construction-of-780m-kato-secondary-progressing-likely-to-be-completed-early-next-year