President Ali commissions $434.5M Waramuri Secondary School, opening doors for 400 Region One students

The educational landscape of the Moruca sub-district has taken a major leap forward with the commissioning of the $434.5 million Waramuri Secondary School by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali on Wednesday. The modern facility, which will open its doors in the new school term, can accommodate about 400 students from Waramuri, Haimaracabra, Para and surrounding villages. It features fully equipped laboratories for Science, Information Technology and Home Economics, along with modern classrooms built to national standards. President Ali told the gathering that the school’s location was no accident, but part of a deliberate strategy to expand equal access to quality education in every region. “Secondary education is about preparing you for the journey of life,” he said. “It is that important step to realise your true potential, and we will continue to invest so that, whatever your ambitions, you can achieve them right here in Region One.” Meanwhile, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand, who joined the president at the ceremony, said the opening of the Waramuri school is a key part of the government’s mission to remove barriers to education in the hinterland. She reported that in 2020, just 43 percent of hinterland teachers were trained, but that figure now stands at 86 percent. The target, she said, is 100 percent by the end of 2026. Over the past three and a half years, more than 9,000 teachers nationwide have been trained compared to about 1,500 in similar periods in the past. This, the minister added, has been matched by a jump in the overall teaching workforce from 7,000 in 2020 to over 15,000 today. Specific to Region one, Minister Manickchand noted that five years ago, around 2,500 children could not be placed in a secondary school and had to attend primary tops or remain out of school. With Waramuri Secondary now ready, and other secondary schools under construction, she said that by 2026 every child in the region will have access to a district secondary school close to home. A community milestone, Headteacher Collin De La Cruz described the new school as a transformation for the community. “Through your effort, generations of students will walk these halls empowered with knowledge and armed with ambition,” he told the president. “Our facilities are now on par with those on the coast.” While the day’s spotlight remained on the Waramuri commissioning, President Ali and Minister Manickchand also touched on the government’s wider development agenda, from expanding access to nursery and primary education, to reducing hidden costs for families, to rebuilding and constructing schools across Guyana. President Ali said these efforts form part of a promise his administration made before taking office in 2020 to increase access, improve quality, and ensure that no child is left behind, regardless of where they live.