The North Ruimveldt Secondary School has been officially commissioned by President Dr. Irfaan Ali following a $566.9 million reconstruction that has transformed the institution into one of the most modern schools in the country.
The newly rebuilt three-story structure, now accommodates 450 to 500 students. It boasts state-of-the-art facilities including science laboratories, information technology labs, smart classrooms, industrial arts and textile rooms, teacher accommodation, a sanitary block, and a contemporary external design. The project was executed by Kares Engineering, with consultancy provided by Engineer Marcel Gaskin.
President Dr Irfaan Ali along with Education Minister Priya Manickchand, teachers and students at the commissioning of the North Ruimveldt Secondary School
The reconstruction comes just in time for the school’s 15th anniversary in September and forms part of a broader national initiative to restore and modernize schools across the country. Similar projects have already been completed at Christ Church Secondary and St. George’s Secondary, which were all destroyed by fire.
A state-of-the-art sports facility is also planned for the North Ruimveldt school to complement academic development and growth among students.
Delivering the feature address at the commissioning, President Ali underscored that the initiative reflects his government’s commitment to equalizing access to quality education. “Being assigned to the school should not be a disadvantage. On the contrary, it is becoming a source of pride, a place where students can learn, grow and achieve at the highest levels, with the same opportunities as any of their peers across the nation,” the Head of State declared.
Literacy reform
The President also reflected on this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) results, acknowledging an overall improvement in performance while highlighting the urgent need to address weak results in mathematics and literacy. “Mathematics is a foundational subject — the gateway to science, technology, engineering, finance and so many other fields that drive modern economies,” he said, pointing to the government’s investment in artificial intelligence-driven teaching tools and the Guyana Digital School platform as a model for the Caribbean.
He emphasized the need for literacy reform, noting that strong reading and comprehension skills are essential for success across all subject areas. “When children can read well, they not only understand concepts more clearly, they are also able to express themselves more effectively in writing. Strong literacy skills form the foundation for all other learning,” the President added.
Ali reiterated his government’s goal of universal secondary education, stressing that completing secondary school is no longer a luxury but a necessity for personal advancement and national competitiveness. He pledged stronger support systems to ensure no child is denied education due to financial constraints, while promising teachers improved salaries, working conditions, and professional development opportunities.
“Every classroom, every school and every teacher play a vital role in shaping our future. We are building a system where our children can dream boldly and achieve fully, equipped with the skills, knowledge, and values they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world,” President Ali concluded.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Priya Manickchand highlighted the significance of the rebuild, explaining that the learning institution has a history of resilience.
“Today, we are proud to present a modern, well-equipped institution that will provide opportunities for every child. The improvements reflect our continued investment in education across the country,” the minister stated.
“What we are seeing here is more than bricks and mortar; it’s a foundation for the future,” the education minister said.
The reconstruction, valued at $566.9 million, has resulted in a three-story building measuring 432 feet in length, 30 feet in width, and 42 feet high.
The school, which can now accommodate 450 to 500 students, comes with science laboratories, information technology labs, modern classrooms, teacher accommodation, a sanitary block, and a contemporary external structure.
The project was executed by Kares Engineering, with project consultancy by Engineer Marcel Gaskin.
The school will celebrate its 15th anniversary this September, marking an important milestone in its growth.
The school will eventually have a state-of-the-art sports facility, complementing the academic achievements and providing students with opportunities for holistic development.
The rebuilt school forms part of a broader national effort that has seen multiple schools restored this year, including Christ Church Secondary and St George’s Secondary, ensuring students across the country have access to modern educational facilities.
The usual, IT home management, clothing and textile, industrial arts, smart classrooms and science labs
President Ali remarks at commissioning
What we are doing here is part of a broader effort to equalize the delivery of quality education across Guyana, ensuring that students at North Ruimveldt Secondary can perform just as well as those in our top performing schools. Being assigned to the school should not be a disadvantage. On the contrary, it is becoming a source of pride, a place where students can learn, grow and achieve at the highest levels, with the same opportunities as any of their peers across the nation.
The results of this year’s CSEC and CAPE examinations are out, and we are pleased to note that Ghana has registered an overall improvement in performance. And I want to congratulate the education sector, the teachers and students. But we are not the type of people in leadership who hide from challenges.
Despite this, we must also acknowledge that there are areas of concern, particularly in mathematics. This is not a challenge unique to Ghana. It is a Caribbean-wide problem.
But we have shown that with the investments we have made, we have made improvement over the last year. And I can say safely, that the program we are pursuing, the use of AI and the Ghana Digital School, that we will be the model that the region needs for improvement in mathematics. We are building out that model for the region.
And this is one that must be resolved quickly, because mathematics is a foundational subject. It is the gateway to science, technology, engineering, finance and so many other fields that drive modern economies. Without a solid grounding in mathematics, our young people are at a disadvantage in pursuing higher studies, in securing certain types of employment and in fully participating in a rapidly changing world.
That is why we are determined to ensure higher levels of passes in this critical subject. And why we will be making the necessary intervention, starting from the primary school level, to strengthen teaching, improving learning and reverse the poor pass rates in mathematics. We also recognize that there are gaps in literacy that need urgent attention.
When children can read well, they not only understand concepts more clearly, they are also able to express themselves more effectively in writing. Strong literacy skills from the foundation for all other learning, from science and mathematics to social studies and the arts. That is why we will be making stronger targeted efforts to improve literacy across time, ensuring that every child gains the reading and comprehension skills necessary to succeed in school and in life.
We want every child to complete secondary education because universal secondary education is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity for personal growth, national development and economic competitiveness. Completing secondary education equips young minds with the knowledge, skills and discipline they need to succeed in life.
Our goal is for every student not only to finish school, but to complete their full course of study and leave with the qualifications required to pursue their life interests. And when I say qualification required, this includes technical skills and technical capability. Therefore, vocational training is important in this equation to allow a seamless transition of our children to the workforce.
That is why we will ensure that no student leaves school without a solid foundation, giving every child the knowledge and skills needed to succeed. We will continue to support parents so that financial constraints do not prevent their children from attending school, ensuring access for all. We will make certain that all teachers are trained to deliver the highest quality education, equipping them with tools and skills to inspire learning.
We will ensure that headteachers are not simply managers, but true leaders of education who guide, mentor and drive excellence in their schools. Our teachers can look forward not only for better salaries and better working conditions, but you can look forward to an environment where there will be competition, because there will be tremendous improvement in their package. And there will be a lot of knock-back on the door for teachers who left here to return.
And there will be greater competition in the system. I am telling you this so that you know. The only way to get ahead of the competition is by continuing to invest in yourselves.
Make use of the opportunities for training and advancement. Very critical. A great future lies ahead of our children.
A future filled with opportunities, prosperity and dignity. It is a future where every young person, regardless of where they come from, can dream boldly and achieve fully. But for that future to be real, we must ensure that our education system equips them with the knowledge, skills and values they need to thrive.
Every classroom, every school and every teacher plays a vital role in shaping that future, giving our children the tools to innovate, to solve problems and to seize the opportunities that await them.
