Government breaks ground for new School

It will be a great act of ungratefulness if voters in the Central Leeward constituency don’t re-elect the Unity Labour Party (ULP) in the next general election.

This according to four-term area representative Sir Louis Straker as he spoke at the official site opening ceremony of the new EC$8 million Barrouallie Secondary School building, under construction in Peters Hope.{{more}}

Sir Louis told the exuberant crowd which included students from the Barrouallie Secondary school that he has been adamant that rural schools should not come short in anything when compared to their city based counterparts.

Referring to Prime Minister Dr Gonsalves as a man with great vision, Sir Louis urged students to take advantage of the educational opportunities being afforded to them.

“You have a great opportunity to turn the world around with education,” he said.



Sir Louis Straker speaking to residents and invited guests during the opening ceremony at the official site of the Barrouallie Secondary School.

He added that the institution, like the low income housing settlement that overlooks the site of the school would all add value to the community.

Meanwhile Chief Education Officer in the Ministry of Education, Susan Dougan said that the new school was a continuation of the sowing of the seeds of the education revolution.

She said that the current school, with a population of 471 students is quite cramped and it is not serving all the purposes that a modern secondary school should.

The new school, which is expected to be opened in 2009, will be constructed on over five acres of land and boast a computer laboratory, three science laboratories and 18 classrooms among other facilities. A hard court for sporting activities will also be built. The capacity of the new facility would be

630 students.

The Barrouallie secondary school is one of four schools that are being constructed under the Caribbean Development Bank’s Basic Education Project at an over cost of EC$26 million. The other facilities are the Fair Hall Primary School, the Bequia Primary School, and the Edinboro Primary School.