Sod turned for $2.6B Christianburg/Wismar Secondary School

The Ministry of Education today turned the sod for the construction of the much-anticipated $2.6B Christianburg/Wismar Secondary School in Linden, Region 10.
The Christianburg Multilateral School, built in 1975, was originally designed to house 50 students along with staff teaching technical and vocational skills. Upscaled to accommodate some 500 students, the school currently houses 700 students and over 100 teachers.
This has led to overcrowding and congestion. The school, according to its principal Shelene Craigwell Peters, has been plagued by surface erosion and the lack of timely and adequate maintenance.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand, in her address, told attendees that the new secondary school is the result of consultations the government has had regarding the needs of communities. She said the construction of the school will begin immediately and will house some 1,000 students.
“We already have 107 teachers here. Of the 107 teachers, 26 are in college and two are upgrading so 28 are in college the rest are trained. Three hundred eighty-four teachers were trained in Region 10 in the last four years,” she said.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips, delivering the featured address, said the new school is not a catchment for students only on the west side of the Demerara River, but will accommodate learners from Mackenzie and as far as Kwakwani and Ituni.
As a former student, the Prime Minister said he is proud to have fulfilled the promise of having the school rebuilt.
“I am a proud former student of Christianburg/Wismar Secondary School known as multi. These grounds have shaped me, just as they have shaped thousands of past and current students and we will continue to shape generations to come. That is why this project holds a deep personal significance for me. When I stood before you prior to 2020, that promise was made, today I return with my ministerial colleagues to deliver on that promise, to turn the sod and fulfill that promise with a modern world class school,” he proudly said.
A new modern facility with adequate space and infrastructure will go a long way in improving the learning and teaching environment for students and staff, the school’s principal stated.