Sod turned for $350M secondary school in Shulinab

Students of Shulinab and surrounding communities are set to benefit from the construction of a new $350M secondary school, following a sod-turning exercise on Tuesday.

This is a major educational boost for students living in the hinterland village located in South Central Rupununi, as previously, students had to travel long distances or relocate to pursue a secondary education.

The new school is expected to reduce the burden on families and improve attendance and performance.

The sod was officially turned by Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, marking the start of construction on the modern facility.

The school will include dormitories, teachers’ quarters, sanitary blocks, dining and kitchen areas, electrical systems, water storage, a tarmac, perimeter fencing, and dedicated school buildings—all built to modern standards.

Manickchand said the project is not just about buildings, but ensuring that children in remote areas like Shulinab have the same opportunities as their peers.

“Every child, regardless of where they’re born, deserves access to secondary education,” she noted.

Construction is expected to take between six to eight months and will be executed by multiple local contractors selected through a national competitive bidding process.

Shulinab Toshao Nicholas Fredericks, who participated in the sod-turning exercise, expressed satisfaction with the plans for the new school, as he noted that it has been long-anticipated.

“It is something we’ve been asking for a very long time, and thank you to our government. This is history in the making in Shulinab, and we are very honoured, we are very proud,” he said.

The Shulinab school is part of a broader national initiative by the Ministry of Education to build more than 40 new secondary schools across Guyana.

The government has said its goal is to achieve Universal Secondary Education, especially in hinterland and Indigenous communities which have long been underserved.