A new $421 million two-storey annex at St. Joseph’s High School in Georgetown will provide space for 250 additional students, modern science laboratories, a home management classroom, a sick bay and wheelchair-accessible facilities, as officials yesterday turned the sod for the project.
The 22,360-square-foot building, expected to be completed within 10 months, is being done through a partnership with the government and World Bank. It will be constructed along the school’s northern fence and is intended to address challenges related to overcrowding, inadequate washroom facilities and the lack of practical spaces for subjects like Agricultural Science.
Speaking at the ceremony, Principal Tulsidai Raghubansi said the school has been waiting on this project for quite a long time to help fix some of the challenges that the growing student population brought with it.
According to her, the new building will accommodate 10 classrooms and will include a physics and biology laboratory, staff room, additional washroom and other facilities. It will also be fully wheelchair accessible, Raghubansi said, noting that the school currently has two Grade Seven students who use wheelchairs.
Education Minister Sonia Parag said the project forms part of the government’s efforts to expand access to quality education while improving learning environments across the country. “At the end of this year, Guyana will achieve universal access to secondary education,” Parag said, noting that the school has grown significantly and now serves more than 500 students.
“It is not only building a school to give you access but it is also extending existing schools so we would not place you in a position where you are overcrowded and cannot thrive in that environment,” she said.
First Lady Arya Ali welcomed the inclusion of a counselling centre and sick bay, noting that both facilities complement the Menstrual Hygiene Initiative that she pioneered.
She also praised the decision to make the building compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. “I am also pleased that the facility will be ADA compliant, ensuring that students and staff with disabilities can navigate and access the space with dignity, independence and ease.”
Senior Education Specialist at the World Bank, Lauren Marston, said the project reflects a commitment to ensuring that investments in education translate into improved outcomes for students. “What this partnership is about is ensuring that every dollar invested translates into measurable improvements in learning outcomes,” Marston said.
She explained that the St. Joseph High School annex forms part of the Guyana Strengthening Human Capital through Education Project, which aims to broaden access to quality secondary education, enhance learning environments and improve teacher support.
According to Marston, the new facility will provide students with modern learning spaces designed around contemporary educational standards. “The new block at St. Joseph High will offer students modern classrooms and facilities designed around contemporary pedagogical standards – not just spaces to sit, but environments intentionally built to promote engagement, collaboration and 21st-century learning,” she said.
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