New $688M Christ Church school to equip students with capabilities for 21st century

…2 years after devastating fire

In a bold symbol of resilience and progress, the Government of Guyana has unveiled the brand-new $688 million Christ Church Secondary School after a devastating fire reduced the historic institution to ashes and rubble just two years ago.

On Thursday, President Irfaan Ali, joined by Minister of Education Priya Manickchand, officially commissioned the state-of-the-art facility, noting that the school plays a vital role in equipping students with capabilities for the 21st century.
Contracts for the school’s reconstruction were signed in June 2023, with an ambitious timeline of seven months.
Housed at the same Middle and Camp Streets site, the modern facility is designed to accommodate 450-500 students, and features 20 remodelled classrooms, eight laboratories, library, auditorium/multi-purpose indoor area and main staff rooms with lunch room, washroom, and showers.
Importantly, it was built with enhanced fire prevention standards in accordance with the Guyana Fire Service’s post-fire recommendations, ensuring safety and sustainability.
In his address, President Ali explained that the amenities are geared towards delivering excellence and producing future leaders.
“Secondary education is no longer a luxury, and I want us to understand this. It is a necessity. It is no longer optional. It is mandatory for survival and success in today’s world… We are living in an era and an age defined by information, innovation and imagination.”
“The world is no longer powered simply by oil and ore but by ideas, inventions, innovations and intellect. And to compete, to thrive, to lead in this world of ideas, inventions, innovations and intellect, we must equip our young people with the competencies of the 21st century. Critical thinking, analytical reasoning, communication and problem-solving,” the president said.
According to the Guyanese leader, the commissioning of Christ Church Secondary comes amid a wave of transformational investments by the government in education, including universal secondary education by 2026; 100 per cent trained or in-training teachers by the end of 2025; free university and technical education; and the expansion of science and digital education.
With this in mind, he emphasised that when students step through its doors, they carry more than books; they carry the hopes of a nation determined to rise, rebuild, and lead.
“Secondary education is a bridge between childhood and citizenship. A very important concept. Secondary education is that bridge between childhood and citizenship… It is a foundation upon which careers are built and nations are developed. It is the gateway to higher education and, with it, upward mobility, entrepreneurship and economic independence.”
“It is the single most powerful weapon we have against inequality. And yes, secondary education drives economic growth. An educated workforce attracts investment, boosts productivity and ensures development. It’s not a privilege but a shared national experience. If Guyana is to be taken seriously on the world stage, if we are to be more than a resource-rich nation, then universal secondary education must not just be a goal. It must be a given,” the Head of State emphasised.
While the reconstruction of Christ Church Secondary School was slated to be completed in seven months, the project suffered a 16-month delay.
The Education Ministry’s adopted approach to construction saw seven companies awarded contracts.
In her speech, Minister Manickchand addressed the delay and dispelled claims that the school fire was staged to create additional space for commercial activity.
“They said very clearly that there is growing and pervasive suspicion that the school fires at St George’s and Christ Church may have been targeted for destruction as economic development plans have other uses for the properties.”
“We have a video showing growth. The day the fire happened – by the next day we were meeting with teachers, and shortly after that – a few days – we were meeting with parents at the Queen’s College Auditorium… One day, not too long after the fire, we were summoned to State House… And with the president, there were two engineers – not belonging to the education family… And the president said we have to build back Christ Church… and we have to build schools all over the hinterland,” the Minister revealed.