West St. George to get new school

Students of the West St. George Secondary School will occupy a new school building by September 2011.

This was announced at the contract signing ceremony for the construction of the West St. George Secondary School on Thursday, January 14, 2010, at Cabinet Room.{{more}}

The project, for which construction is expected to start this year, will be managed The China Jiangsu International Economic Technical Corporation, which submitted a bid of $15,875,631.83 for the construction of the school. The China Jiangsu Corporation was one of six companies which submitted bids to the government for the construction of the school.

Giving remarks at the ceremony, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves spoke about the Unity Labour Party (ULP) Administration’s improvements to the education system in St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the form of the Education Revolution. Gonsalves mentioned advancements such as the building and upgrading of several schools across St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the increase in the number of students admitted to secondary school. “The revolution has taken place right before our very eyes,” he said.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Laura Browne stated that the process for construction of the West St George School began in 2007. She added that several options were considered for the restructuring of the secondary school, which included buying lands to build a new school and a short term upgrading of the school.

Browne stated that after discussions were held with the World Bank, it was decided that land will be bought to construct a new school.

Also speaking at the ceremony, Parliamentary representative for West St. George Mike Browne referred to the building of the new institution as an “important juncture in the life of West St. George.”

Browne said that when the ULP administration formed government in 2001, there was no secondary school in the North Windward, East St George and West St. George constituencies, and children had to take two buses to get to schools in Kingstown. Also referring to the West St George constituency as one of the fastest growing areas in the country, Browne added that the construction of the school was an “absolute necessity” to serve the children of that area.

The school, which will have an estimated 51,233 square feet, will include 21 classrooms, 2 computer labs, 2 science labs, a library and information centre and a cricket and football field. The school is expected to be completed by June 3, 2011, with the official opening later in the year 2011.