“We want you to be rounded to take on the world” – Manickchand tells students

…as new $85M new wing commissioned at St Winefride’s Secondary School

Education Minister Priya Manickchand said that government is investing billions into the education sector to not only churn out academically strong but rounded students who are equipped to take on the world when they leave school.
She made this remark while addressing students, teachers and parents during the commissioning of a new wing at the St. Winefride’s Secondary School, Garnette and De Abreu Streets, Georgetown on Wednesday.

“We also want rounded students… And we are going to send you programmes, and begin programmes here now that we have everybody back [in class fulltime] that will make you rounded students – not just academically strong, because we want that for you, but also rounded students and able to take on issues when you get out there in the world, able to participate in this new thriving Guyana, able to look at, understand and articulate views that are happening in the world,” the Education Minister noted.
One such issue that Manickchand urge students to pay attention to is the intensifying border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.
In Caracas, the National Electoral Council has issued five questions to be asked in a national referendum scheduled for December 3, 2023, including a question that seeks the approval of the Venezuelan people to create a new Venezuelan state out of Guyana’s Essequibo region – which the Guyana Government has already lambasted as “brazen” and “pernicious”.
Minister Manickchand implored students to enlighten themselves on this issue and use their social media platforms to share the facts on the matter so that their peers can learn also, and together they can all be changemakers.
“You all have voices, and your voices are important. Make your videos claiming and owning our Essequibo, talk about it, lead other children your age to have that conversation. You be the leader,” she encouraged.
The Education Minister went onto to note that her ministry is on a mission to ensure each child is comfortably accommodated and has access to a quality education.
Prior to the expansion, the St. Winefride’s Secondary School used to accommodate students on a rotation basis due to limited space available.
With the new $85 million wing, named the ‘Ms. Avril Crawford Block’ after the school’s first Head Teacher, Manickchand said students are now able to attend school daily to receive an education. On this note, she called on the students to make full use of the opportunities presented to them and use their new resources to their advantage.
“You have a new environment where you can thrive and for me, that is just the beginning,” the Education Minister stated.
In addition to several new classrooms, the new two-storey block at the St. Winefride’s Secondary School now also boast a new modern and fully equipped science laboratory. The added classrooms in the new wing can accommodate approximately 100 students.
Head Teacher of the St. Winefride’s Secondary School, Rowena Seymour, disclosed that at the beginning of the 2022 academic year, only 30 students could have been in Grade Seven against the 70 enrollments. This resulted in Grade Seven students attending schools for two days while Grade Eight students were accommodated for three days.
“Parents were frustrated with this system but were pleased when the teachers used the blended teaching approach to reach the students,” Syemour noted.
This situation caused officials from the Education Ministry to look at options to expand the school’s accommodation capacity thus the establishment of the new wing at the school.
According to the Head Teacher, the new block brings great relief to both the administration and the students, as they will serve to better accommodate classes, eliminating the issue of cramped spaces.
The new block currently facilitates 114 Grade Nine students and 21 Grade 11 students in the new classrooms.
“Today, we are extremely happy that all of our students are seated comfortably,” Seymour said.
The contract for this $85 million block was signed in November 2022, and awarded to Singh and Son’s Construction. (G8)