Georgetown: One hundred and twenty hinterland students will by year-end be able to occupy a brand new dormitory to be housed at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara (ECD), Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock said.Recently, Minister Allicock and his junior Minister, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, met with Kalitech Inc. Engineering Design and Supervisory Consultants, the firm tasked with completing the new facility. At that meeting, the ministers were apprised of the progress made on the new dormitory.
Minister Allicock following the meeting said he is pleased with the report provided by the engineering firm and said there are a few components of the construction that are to be completed, including the walls, cupboards, and roofing.
In the case of the roof, the minister said it is the intention of the contractor to use tar shingles instead of zinc sheets so that it would last longer. He noted that the building would be completed in keeping with the government’s green agenda, a statement from the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs said on Friday.
“As of now, the design can accommodate one hundred and twenty students, but if needs be, it could be adjusted to accommodate a hundred and forty or a hundred and fifty more students and this building is expected to be completed by the end of this year, so I am very happy that eventually we will be able to have this facility that is so badly needed for the education of our young people to help us build this beautiful nation.”
The new facility will boast male and female self-contained rooms to accommodate one hundred and twenty students, living quarters for a Dorm Mother and father, a unique water storage system and recreational area, among other amenities.
Over the past ten years, an estimated six hundred students have benefited from hinterland scholarships to attend a number of tertiary institutions, including the Guyana Technical Institute (GTI), Carnegie School of Home Economics, the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) and the Guyana Industrial Technical Center (GITC), both resident and non-resident.
Additionally, scholarships were offered to Hinterland students attending the University of Guyana in 1986, however since the Public Service Ministry (P.S.M.) offers scholarships to students desirous of attending the University, a decision was taken in 2000 not to sponsor hinterland students but to have them apply to P.S.M.
The Ministry said that building an educated nation remains a high priority for the coalition government and as a result, efforts will continue to ensure that hinterland youth receive a well-rounded education.
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