Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand today commissioned the Mrs. Maureen Massiah Wing at the Bishops’ High School in Georgetown.
A release from the Ministry of Education said that the new building houses eight additional classrooms for the school, a laboratory, a canteen and a common area where students can sit, eat and socialize.
The new building was named after Massiah to honour her contributions to the school. She is a former student and served as Principal for 15 years (1987 – 2002). She is the longest-serving Principal at the school, the release said.
Manickchand said that the expansion of the school is to provide more students the opportunities and quality of education offered by the institution. She said that this is the approach at the five national schools (Queen’s College, the Bishops’ High, St. Stanislaus College, St. Rose’s High School and St. Joseph High School).
In addition to the eight classrooms and laboratory, the Education Minister said that the vision was also to provide a space where children could meet and learn more about each other.
Manickchand said that the Ministry is focused on schools producing children who can develop the country and respond to the immediate, intermediate and long-term plans. She said that producing rounded students is a priority for the Ministry of Education. The Minister said, “Our plan, which we’re working on is to have every student exiting high school exposed to and be relatively proficient in playing one musical instrument, a foreign language, one TVET subject and having a strong sense of volunteerism.”
Manickchand informed that from 2023, the Bishops’ High School will allow cross-streaming. She said that this will allow students in any stream to also write subjects that are offered in another stream at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination. She added that Guyana will also look to approaching the completion of School Based Assessments differently to allow students to benefit better from the practical exposure.
Principal of the School, Shandrina Welcome–Lee while giving a background to the new wing, said that the decision to name it in honour of Massiah was arrived at through consultation with old students and stakeholders. She said it is aimed at honouring one of the most influential and long-serving principals of the Bishops’ High School.
“During her time, she was instrumental in steadying and restoring the standard of education being delivered at the institution. This feat came naturally to her as she understood the illustrious history of the school. She espoused discipline and instilled that to students and staff alike,” Welcome–Lee noted in her remarks.
In July of 2022, the contract valued at $95.4M was signed following a public bidding process.
