Ministry of Education Commissions New $177M Wing at Yarrowkabra Primary to Remedy Overcrowding
By| Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|
YARROWKABRA, GUYANA — Easing critical space deficits for families along the highway corridor, the Ministry of Education on Tuesday officially commissioned a newly constructed G$177 million classroom wing at the Yarrowkabra Primary School. The infrastructural development directly targets historic overcrowding at the Grade C institution, where shifting community demographics have nearly doubled the school’s enrollment beyond its initial design capacity.
The original Soesdyke-Linden Highway facility was engineered to comfortably house 250 learners. However, spurred by regional economic migration and rapid development along the transit corridor, current enrollment tracking records a population of 415 pupils supported by a dedicated staff of 21 educators.
Officiating the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, Minister of Education Sonia Parag emphasized that the multi-million-dollar expansion represents a fundamental pillar of state equity rather than basic concrete construction.
“What this represents is an opportunity that is presented to these children,” Minister Parag declared, addressing an audience of parents, teachers, and regional officials. “Building a wing in a school is ensuring that we continue in the path of progress; it is ensuring that our children are taken care of. It is always one thing to have opportunity, but it is a completely different thing to have access, because you can have opportunity, but if you don’t have access, it’s a wasted opportunity.”
The massive structural annex features eight fully ventilated modern classrooms custom-allocated to accommodate roughly 200 senior pupils from Grades Four through Six. The wing further integrates a modern student canteen, centralized administrative staff offices, a dedicated music program to foster creative arts, and a specialized Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) room to guarantee inclusive learning access for children of all diagnostic capabilities. Though officially commissioned on Tuesday, students have safely occupied and utilized the spaces since March to stabilize the academic year.
Regional Executive Officer (REO) for Region 4 (Demerara-Mahaica), Juan Edghill Jr., joined the educational desk to frame the structural upgrade within Guyana’s wider, people-centered resource transformation.
“The message is clear, Guyana’s transformation must be people-centered and education remains one of the most powerful tools in creating opportunities,” Edghill stated. “This commissioning is far more than the opening of another building. It is a celebration of opportunity, of vision, and our unwavering belief that every child in Guyana deserves access to quality education in an environment that nurtures excellence, creativity, and hope.”
To ensure the newly expanded facility maximizes modern learning workflows, REO Edghill announced that the Regional Democratic Council has finalized technical plans to install a localized Starlink high-speed satellite internet system. The digital integration will equip highway students with real-time access to advanced online educational materials and virtual resource tools, successfully matching the learning infrastructure found in central urban zones.
