Sod turned for new Diamond Primary School to serve 750 students
…as $296M Houston Secondary nearing completion
Education Minister Priya Manickchand has announced that the new $296 million Houston Secondary School is nearing completion, following a recent visit to the construction site on Thursday. The school is being built on the grounds of the former Houston Secondary School, which has since been demolished to make way for the modern facility. In a statement shared on her official Facebook page, Minister Manickchand highlighted the grand cost of the project.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand alongside key officials during the sod turning
“I’m actually in the compound of what used to be the Houston Secondary School. As you can see, it has been demolished, with a view by the Government of Guyana and the Ministry of Education to rebuild a modern facility, costing close to $300 million, for 400 children from the Lower East Bank area,” she shared in the post.
Manickchand noted that the new school will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including individual classrooms, Science and IT laboratories, TVET labs, a modern staff room, library and counselling spaces.
“I count on the contractor… to deliver high quality work, on time and within budget,” she added.
“To the parents, families, and children of the Lower East Bank, this is soon coming to you: a brand-new Houston Secondary School,” Manickchand affirmed.
750 Students
Meanwhile in Diamond, Minister Manickchand also turned the sod for the construction of a new primary school, which is expected to serve 750 students.
The school is projected to be completed by September 2026; however, the Ministry is aiming for an earlier delivery.
The Minister explained that the decision to build the school was driven by overcrowding in the area’s existing institutions:
“Right now, the Diamond Grove Old School and the Diamond No. 1 Primary are already overcrowded. We definitely need this new primary school for the growing population in this large community.”
Manickchand added that the school will serve the rapidly expanding residential developments in Diamond, including housing schemes for young professionals.
“This is a 10-month project. They’re going to be using prefab materials, so construction should move quickly. The design incorporates all international child-friendly standards,” she informed. “I’m very glad that this brand-new primary school is about to come on board.”
