Sod turned for construction of a $979M modern secondary school at Vreed-en-Hoop

…500 students to benefit

Students from Region Three (Essequibo Islands–West Demerara), particularly those living in Vreed-en-Hoop and surrounding communities, will soon benefit from improved access to education with the construction of a brand-new, state-of-the-art secondary school.
On Wednesday the Education Ministry hosted a sod-turning ceremony for the state-of-the-art Vreed-en-Hoop secondary school in Region Three (Essequibo Islands–West Demerara).

The school, which will be constructed at Crane, West Coast Demerara, represents a major investment in the ministry’s commitment to delivering improved and universal secondary education across Guyana.
Delivering remarks at the ceremony, Education Minister Priya Manickchand emphasised the significance of the new facility in expanding access to quality education in the region.
With a projected cost of over $979 million, Manickchand noted that the school will benefit hundreds of youths in Region 3, providing them with modern classrooms and resources to support their academic success.
“So, this is the turning of the sod for the new Vreed-en-Hoop Secondary School, or I think Crane Secondary School; the name doesn’t matter. It’s going to hold, it’s expected to accommodate 500 children, and it’s being built at just over $900 million.”
In fact, the minister highlighted that many children were forced to attend “primary tops”, a situation she attributed directly to the APNU/AFC coalition’s failure to adequately address the country’s expanding educational needs.
“But these areas also had children in primary tops, which is a primary school accommodating secondary school, and that’s really because the APNU and AFC in their time in office didn’t start or finish a single secondary school in this country, and because of their failure to do that, we had a lot of children who couldn’t be accommodated in secondary school. We have since finished in Region 3; the Parfaite Westminster Secondary, De Willem Secondary, and Nismes Secondary are finishing off, and we hope to get that in July.”
The construction of the new secondary school has been strategically divided into four separate lots, a move aimed at ensuring greater efficiency and coordination throughout the building process.
Lot One covers the substructure, superstructure, electrical works, plumbing, fire safety, and finishing for administrative areas, the library, and classrooms and will be carried out by K&S General Construction for $323,500,000.
Lot Two, which includes similar works for the science labs, mechanical labs, technology drawing labs, and classrooms, has been awarded to D&S Construction for $279,800,000.
Lot Three, which involves external works, will be executed by Ele’s Trading and Hardware for $269,110,500. Lot Four, which involves furnishing, has been awarded to PS23 Construction for $107,210,400.
This phased approach is intended to allow multiple contractors to work simultaneously on different aspects of the project, thereby minimising delays and accelerating overall completion.  By segmenting the construction into manageable components, the ministry and its partners hope to maintain high standards of quality while adhering to tight deadlines.
Moreover, the modern facility has been designed as a fully reinforced concrete structure featuring transparent roof sheeting and a circular building outline. The school will include more than 20 classrooms, a science centre equipped with physics, chemistry, and biology laboratories, and a TVET centre furnished with industrial and home economics labs.
Students will also benefit from a multi-purpose hall, a canteen and cafeteria, and an international library or document centre. The building’s layout supports both functionality and aesthetics, allowing for enhanced student engagement.
Additionally, a sanitary block will be constructed to serve both the student body and teaching staff. Safety has been a key consideration in the design, with fire escape exits, alarms, extinguishers, escape doors, fire-retardant panels, limited use of timber, and metal ceilings forming part of the fire prevention system. Outdoor recreational spaces will also be included, enabling students to participate in sports such as basketball and cricket, which form an important part of the school’s wider curriculum.
The construction period is expected to last nine months, with many components being developed concurrently to meet the projected timeline. Notably there will be a nine-month defects liability period for some components, ensuring quality and allowing for any necessary adjustments or corrections during that time. GR Engineering will serve as the consultant for the project, overseeing all technical and supervisory aspects.
This new secondary school forms part of the ministry’s broader mission to close the education access gap, particularly in rapidly expanding communities. In Guyana’s 2025 budget, the Education Ministry received a significant allocation of $175 billion. This includes a substantial $36.2 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of educational facilities, aiming to create an additional 20,000 student spaces.