Sod turned for new St David’s Catholic Secondary

GRENADA

The sod has officially been turned to mark the beginning of the EC$40.6 million St David’s Catholic Secondary School at its new site in Marlmount, St David.

Speaking at the July 7 sod turning, Principal Gary Jones said, “This $40 million dollar plus investment is a big bet into the transformation and rejuvenation of this community, and it will begin with a brand-new St David’s Catholic Secondary School.”

According to Mikey Live, a local social media show, the contract for construction of the school was signed on July 3.

Bishop Clyde Harvey of St-Georges-in-Grenada expressed his appreciation to Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative for St David, Honourable Dickon Mitchell, and his team for ensuring that several projects, including the current one, “are being realised within the  parish of St David.”

The new building’s footprint measures approximately 13,000 square feet and will accommodate up to 500 students and 40 staff. The school will be constructed on a four-acre lot and will consist of three main blocks, one at two storeys and the others three.

There will be a total of 15 classrooms, including technical labs dedicated to electronics, technical drawing, woodwork, and visual arts. Laboratories for the sciences, information technology, clothing, home management, and food and nutrition have also been included. For the staff, it features a spacious staffroom with a kitchenette.

On the exterior, there will be an outdoor court, assembly area and acres of green space to promote student’s holistic development, physical activity, and social interaction. The design also includes a wheelchair lift. Other amenities include parking spaces, site drainage, fencing, road improvements and wastewater treatment.

Mikey Live stated that this project is being implemented by the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Ministry of Infrastructure, as part of the Grenada Education Enhancement Project (GEEP). It is jointly funded by the Caribbean Development  Bank (CDB) and the Government of Grenada through a loan agreement.

“This is the third new school project started under GEEP, with the prior ones being the Grenada Christian Academy and the St Andrew’s Anglican Primary School, which are also in progress.”

In his remarks at the sod-turning ceremony, Prime Minister Mitchell thanked all key partners.

He said, “For all of those who, in the past, have contributed in one way or the other in ensuring that notwithstanding the difficult challenges the physical infrastructure of the school experienced and all those who played their part in ensuring that the principal, the staff, management and the students could continue their education and human development at the institution, I want to put on record our profound appreciation and gratitude for the roles you play.”

The Prime Minister impressed upon the contractor his expectation of having a superior product delivered in a timely manner. He explained that the facility, once complete, will be important for lifelong learning opportunities for citizens of all ages, emphasising that learning has no expiry date.

The Minister for Education, Senator David Andrew, explained that every effort was made to acquire the land at Marlmount and secure funding for the project. The Education Minister said, “The millions we spend is not just about the beautiful edifice and facility, but it must translate into genuine, more updated and improved outcomes for our nation’s children.”

CDB Divisional Chief of the Social Sector Division, Martin Baptiste, reflected on the kind of schools Grenada typically had for learning in the past. He expressed the 21st century vision of having spaces that are more friendly to teaching and learning and which “affirm the dignity of those who inhabit the space”.

He said, “We’ve reached the point where we need to move beyond just place and space to giving them an experience.”