Construction of the new Dominica Grammar School (DGS) is expected to be completed by the end of June this year. This was according to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit who led a site visit to the ongoing construction at the DGS on Monday.
“This morning I have noticed some things I believe that may need to be revisited, but overall it’s so far, so good…,” he said. “Both the contractor and the developer are saying at the end of June. It’s a huge goal from my standpoint which requires longer working hours.”
Skerrit stated that more workmen will be required to carry out the duties there.
“There are still some heavy movements to make,” the Prime Minister noted. “Though we are under pressure to have the students in at the earliest opportunity, but at the same token we have to be careful that we do not speed-compromise the structural integrity and the architectural duty of the Dominica Grammar School.”
He added, “The grammar school has a particular history in the country and I always felt that the structural and the aesthetic appeal of the building should be befitting of the contribution grammar school has made to the nation’s development.”
Meanwhile, Education Minister Octavia Alfred said it has been a long, hard road and she expressed hopes that the efforts will be honored, “that we will actually get our space in June so that we can prepare for September.”
She thanked the developer and those who are making the effort despite some tense moments.
“Because the contractors need space and the Minister of Education needs her children in school, so the conversations were rough sometimes, but I am glad that we have come to a compromise, we have come to a place where our children can be in school and work can continue,” she stated. “We are happy that they have agreed to do certain things in the morning while our students are there. That will reduce the level of noise and dust and Goodwill Secondary [School] will not be there in the afternoons so some more serious noisy, dusty work can happen in the afternoon.”
Alfred explained that the process has required a lot of planning, yet she expects that everyone will settle in this week.
“Most schools will be opened by Wednesday, teachers are in today and some schools will open by tomorrow,” she revealed. “I think by the end of this week Goodwill Secondary [School] and the Dominica Grammar [School] should be pretty much in and fully settled by next week.”
Scaffolding is always a good indication of a contractor’s competence.
Roosevelt and his unqualified minister have the education system in a most deplorable state. Totally unacceptable!
Now the man wholly responsible for the present chaotic state of educational in Dominica is running around like a headless chicken trying his best to pacify the grave concerns of parents and students of the absolute failure of the state of affairs in education.
Nothing beats face to face education in the classroom or a comfortable setting. This disorderly, topsy-turvy will be now doubt negatively impact the quality of schooling.
Blunders o this nature and magnitude are avoidable. However, once we continue with a numbskull at the apex of government we are going to get the recurring decimal.
Dominica needs a paradigm shift in governance. To get those desirable changes Roosevelt and his surrogates have to exit the offices they hold.