The Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) Administration has announced that it will be extending two nursery schools in New Amsterdam this year and closing a third.
One of the schools earmarked for rehabilitation
Regional Chairman David Armogan made the announcement during his first press conference for 2017. He revealed that the Region intended to spend $14 million to extend the Viola Nursery School to accommodate 35 more pupils. The building, which is located in Vrymens Erven, is currently too small to accommodate the growing school population.
The Chairman further stated that St Mary’s Nursery would also be extended at a similar cost. He explained that the extension would cater for all the children who attend Trinity Street Nursery, which was in a deplorable state. The Trinity Street Nursery School will then be closed.
Food For The Poor (FFTP) had indicated its willingness to fund the construction of a new building to house the Trinity Street Nursery School.
The organisation held discussions with senior officials from the Department of Education, Region Six, and made the commitment. It is proposing that Government provide the land and it will fund the entire project.
The Education Department was furnished with a document to that effect and a copy was given to the Regional Executive Officer (REO).
FFTP had proposed that the ‘Old New Amsterdam Hospital’ compound be used for the project. However, the then REO, Dr Veerasammy Ramayya, had objected to the site, saying that it was not fit for a school because a hospital once stood there.
FFTP had been waiting on the Department of Education to propose other plots of State-owned land for the construction of the new school building.
Speaking at the press conference, Regional Education Officer Volika Jaikishun explained that a few of the teachers and head of Trinity Street Nursery would be transferred to the two schools which would be extended, while others would eventually be placed in other schools.
Armogan, who once headed the Regional Education Committee, assured the teachers that they would not be displaced.
