Refurbishment work commences on Bequia Community High School (+Video)

Preparation work for the long awaited refurbishment of the Bequia Community High School has finally started with the construction of a temporary school building to house students and staff, when the new school year begins on October 4, 2021.

Work commenced on the construction of the temporary school building about a week ago, on a site about 300 yards from the current High School. October 1,2021 is the projected completion date for the temporary building which will consist of eight classrooms, a staff room, and washrooms for students and staff.

However not all of the students and staff will be accommodated at the temporary school building, as pointed out by an official of the Roads Buildings and General Services Authority (BRAGSA). The remaining students and teachers will be accommodated at the Bequia Primary School, just a few yards from the temporary school site.

Upon completion of the temporary school building all equipment, including some for the woodwork shop, is expected to be moved and housed in a separate building which is being retrofitted for that purpose.

When the students and staff move to their temporary location, work is expected to commence on the refurbishment of the Bequia Community High School sometime around January 2022, the BRAGSA official said.

Before this work commences, he said that the project must be advertised for six weeks in the island’s three newspapers, a requirement of the Caribbean Development Bank, the funding agency.

Once the contract is awarded and work begins, it should be completed within 12 months.

Two new wings would be added to the existing structure, more square feet of classroom space would be added, along with a new water system.

The Bequia Community High School is one of eight schools in St. Vincent and the Grenadines earmarked for work under a CDB-funded refurbishment programme.