The Patentia Secondary School, West Bank Demerara has been closed for cleaning and will reopen on Monday, Minister of Education, Shaik Baksh yesterday announced.

Shaik Baksh

According to GINA, the minister, told a press conference held at the Ministry, that the school became unfit for occupation because of builder’s waste which had accumulated during the construction of a new school wing.

He said that the construction of the new wing was not the cause for the closure of the school as the construction site was clearly demarcated. The region, he said, was responsible for the cleaning of the school’s compound.

Baksh said that he would be seeking an explanation from regional officials on why the situation was not drawn to the attention of the authorities.

GINA said that the government has allotted $117.2M for the construction of the new wing at the Patentia Secondary School which will accommodate 800 students. It said that currently there is a shift system at the Wales Community High School which will be discontinued after the completion of the new wing. Patentia Secondary will now accommodate students from the Wales Community High School which will then become Wales Primary and would only enroll primary students.