$95M 6th Form, admin block commissioned at Diamond Secondary

– Minister highlights expanding access, calls for parental partnership

In a significant move to expand access to advanced secondary education on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), Minister of Education Priya Manickchand officially commissioned a brand-new $95 million Sixth Form and administrative building at the Diamond Secondary School on Thursday afternoon.

The event marked the official introduction of Sixth Form (CAPE) studies at the institution, making it the first school on the East Bank to offer this post-CSEC programme. Constructed by Simcon Engineering Inc. over a 10-month period, the new facility comprises six spacious classrooms, a recreation area, modern sanitary facilities, and an office for the deputy headteacher.
Adjacent to this teaching space, the administrative building features a fully equipped library, a 40-station IT lab, and offices to support the school’s growing academic and operational needs.

“This is a representation of what we are doing across the country,” Minister Manickchand told the gathering of students, parents, and teachers. “We are not just opening buildings; we are opening opportunities for children.”
Minister Manickchand recalled that the original structure was destroyed by fire in 2018 while she was still in opposition. The new building will allow students and teachers to move out of the overburdened auditorium and into properly outfitted classrooms. The school will now offer 16 CAPE subjects, in addition to its existing 23 CSEC subjects.

“Diamond is now part of a growing list of secondary schools with Sixth Form programmes. In the last four years, we’ve introduced CAPE in Anna Regina, Rosignol, West Dem [Demerara], and now here,” the Minister noted.
Manickchand also detailed ongoing education sector investments along the East Bank and across the country, highlighting the Government’s drive to ensure no child is left behind.

On the East Bank alone, new secondary schools are under construction at Prospect and Kaneville, while expansions are ongoing at Yarrowkabra, Dora, and Soesdyke. The Houston Secondary School is being completely rebuilt, and plans are in place to rebuild Covent Garden Secondary as well.
“Prospect Secondary will accommodate 1000 students; Kaneville, 800. This new block adds capacity for 180 more students here at Diamond,” the Minister added. “And it doesn’t end there; nursery, primary, and secondary schools are going up in every region.”
Nationally, 42 new secondary schools are either under construction or completed, with 24 of those being built in hinterland regions (One, Seven, Eight, and Nine), where access to quality education has traditionally lagged behind.

While physical expansion has been a visible success, Minister Manickchand emphasised that real transformation lies in human development, particularly the training of teachers.
“This school has 64 teachers. Six are currently untrained, but they are now enrolled in training programmes. Within two years, we will have 100 per cent of teachers trained,” she declared.
Guyana has dramatically increased teacher training efforts, now offering programmes through 223 learning centres across the country, in addition to the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and its 13 satellite campuses.
“We are training more teachers than ever before, more than 4500 in the last four years alone, compared to just over 500 annually in previous years,” she noted.
With the country in election mode, the Minister addressed criticisms from some corners that projects are being unveiled purely for political gain.
Minister Manickchand concluded by reaffirming her commitment to ensuring that every child in Guyana has access to quality education, from nursery to university.