Tim Gopeesingh assured parents in Biche on Tuesday that their 10-year wait for the opening of the High School in their community would will soon be over. The Education Minister promised that he will open the Biche High School in September for the 2011-2012 academic year.
He also said restoration work on the Biche Presbyterian School will be completed for the new term. Both projects are estimated to cost $27 million, Gopeesingh said.
The Biche High School was built for $30 million under the Panday UNC administration but Manning PNM administration refused to open it because of concerns about land slippage and gas and oil emissions.
Speaking at a ceremony to launch refurbishment work, Gopeesingh suggested that the PNM administration never had a valid reason for refusing to open the school.
"What's the reason for keeping the school closed for ten years? Absolutely nothing. The geophysical studies show no land slippage, the environmental studies show that there is good quality fresh air and the seismic risk results show that there is no seismic risk also," Gopeesingh said.
"The Seismic Research Unit has confirmed there has been no increase in seismic activity in this area during the recent past and the buildings have been designed and built in accordance with the relevant codes... So, therefore, we ask the last administration, why did you suffer almost 1,500 students and teachers and parents in this community for ten long years?"
People in the community are happy to hear that the school will open soon. Children from the farming village had to go to schools as far away as Sangre Grande or Manzanilla with transportation costing an average of $30 a day. Some parents were unable to send their children to school because of a lack of funds.
He also said restoration work on the Biche Presbyterian School will be completed for the new term. Both projects are estimated to cost $27 million, Gopeesingh said.
The Biche High School was built for $30 million under the Panday UNC administration but Manning PNM administration refused to open it because of concerns about land slippage and gas and oil emissions.
Speaking at a ceremony to launch refurbishment work, Gopeesingh suggested that the PNM administration never had a valid reason for refusing to open the school.
"What's the reason for keeping the school closed for ten years? Absolutely nothing. The geophysical studies show no land slippage, the environmental studies show that there is good quality fresh air and the seismic risk results show that there is no seismic risk also," Gopeesingh said.
"The Seismic Research Unit has confirmed there has been no increase in seismic activity in this area during the recent past and the buildings have been designed and built in accordance with the relevant codes... So, therefore, we ask the last administration, why did you suffer almost 1,500 students and teachers and parents in this community for ten long years?"
People in the community are happy to hear that the school will open soon. Children from the farming village had to go to schools as far away as Sangre Grande or Manzanilla with transportation costing an average of $30 a day. Some parents were unable to send their children to school because of a lack of funds.
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