The new $172.6 million Samuel B. Moffatt Wing at East Ruimveldt Secondary School (ERSS), in Georgetown was commissioned Thursday morning, and will comfortably accommodate 252 Grades Seven and Eight pupils.
The new building includes 10 classrooms, a staff room, an information technology (IT) laboratory, and washroom facilities.
Samuel Moffatt, now deceased, was a head teacher who helped transform the school into a respective one, allowing students to compete with other top institutions, academically and athletically.
During remarks at the commissioning ceremony, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand noted that due to persistent spacing concerns at schools around the nation, the expansion was pursued.
The additional wing at the learning facility is also part of the ministry’s comprehensive strategy to accomplish universal secondary education in a more conducive environment.
“By next September we are not going to have the space problem that we had when I came into office in 2020. We are very sure of it. And we are very glad to be able to provide seats for children to sit in classrooms. But that is not where I want to stop… We do not want to put you in classrooms and have you sit there. We want to make sure you have a quality education when you get into a classroom,” Minister Manickchand emphasised.
The education minister said during the consultation period for the construction of the new block, students were temporarily housed in tents in the school’s compound.
A shed was later constructed to comfortably accommodate the students while the wing was being constructed.
Notably, Minister Manickchand is also planning to construct a pool at the ERSS, which will also be utilised by pupils from other schools.
Meanwhile, construction work is also ongoing for a science laboratory and a modernised home economics department.
The contract to build the wing was signed in November 2022 and awarded to Delph Construction.
