Chinese and Canadian Govts Fund Building of Schools in Tete Morne, Grandbay

Barbara 31st July, 2020

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Parliamentary Representative for Grand Bay Constituency, Edward Registe, said two primary schools are to be constructed in Tete Morne and Grandbay. The construction of the two schools is funded by the governments of China and Canada, who are also funding the renovation of 11 other schools across the country.

While the building of the schools is being funded by foreign governments, Registe said he worked assiduously to bring in Grandbay natives who are based overseas to equip the schools with stationery and other basic supplies.

“I have worked towards supporting both primary schools with the assistance of Grandbarians in the diaspora who have contributed basic equipment and stationery to support the schools,” he said. “Mr. Speaker, the Grandbay Constituency will feature highly on the agenda of the Ministry of Education this year.”

The Canadian government is also funding the rehabilitation of schools in Morne Jaune, Wills-Strathmore-Stevens, Grandbay, Delices, and Salisbury among other places. Some of these schools were destroyed by Hurricane Maria and they have been redesigned for reconstruction with the tender process already underway, said PM Roosevelt Skerrit.

The Chinese government has also pledged to fund the rehabilitation of schools in Calibishie, Thibaud, Goodwill, Tete Morne, Bellevue Chopin, and Sineku among other, Skerrit revealed.

“In keeping with our commitment to focus on education from cradle to grave, all the schools listed above will, on completion, boast of having early childhood education units,” the prime minister said. “Work on these schools is expected to begin by September 2020.”

A former teacher and principal, Ernie Jno Finn, told Parliament in her capacity as an opposition senator, that the government must focus more on special education for special children and that this ought to have been captured in the current national budget.

“Greater effort should be made to train teachers in special education. Currently there are very few teachers on island trained in any area of special education,” Senator Jno Finn said. “There is need for a special education center which will provide skills and academic opportunities for special education students. Currently special education students do not get employment opportunities especially in the soft skills area.”