The presently abandoned Christianburg Primary School in Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) is expected to be rebuilt at a cost of more than $40 million, Deputy Regional Executive Officer (DREO), Maylene Stephen has indicated.
After being closed for four years, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) is now making strides to secure funds to rebuild the dilapidated school.
Speaking at the Council’s statutory meeting on Thursday, Stephen noted that the administration is currently awaiting approval.
Despite concerns raised in the past over the condition of the school’s present location, Regional Chairman Renis Morian said it will be rebuilt on site.
The school, which was one of the first to be built in the Linden community, had begun to sink and the structure deteriorated, rendering it dangerous for the growing numbers to continue to be housed there.
Several engineers have over the years visited the site to conduct tests to determine whether it was still suitable to rebuild at the location as officials had noted that due to issues such as drainage, the school had sunk tremendously over the years.
This, they noted, had intensified owing to the presence of ponds in the area.
Following its closure, students have been housed at the St Aidan’s Primary at Blueberry Hill, Linden.
The move has reportedly had some negative effects on students and teachers, as outlined by members of the Parent Teacher’s Association (PTA) who had stressed that the distance is too far flung, contributing to high transportation and extra meal costs, coupled with overcrowding among other negative issues.
Regional Education Committee Chairman, Denise Belgrave questioned the adequacy of the school’s area as it relates to the number of students.
“I’m glad to hear that we’re able to get that large amount of money, but I’m thinking about the area. Would it be adequate for the number of children? Because remember, enrollment would have heightened since those children were there. So I’m wondering if they’re going to use the same structure and probably develop on it or are they going to have the whole thing broken down and restructured?” she asked.
The Regional Chairman pointed out however that based on assessments which were carried out, the number of students are declining while he noted that the area is suitable.
“The area is adequate. What we’re noting is that the numbers are falling because people are migrating to Amelia’s Ward… so with that, numbers dropping… right now there’s a graph showing that it’s going down for the longest while,” Morian said.
But Belgrave indicated that the number of students has been fluctuating over a specific period.
“What I would have noticed, we have during a period, like three years, we see it go up and then it goes down and up,” she noted.
Councillor Vladimir Glasgow in addressing the Council said he was happy the school was being rebuilt since the issue has been a burning one since 2015.
