Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit says the new San Sauveur Primary School will create a learning environment which will encourage teachers and students to perform to the best of their abilities.
Government official opened the doors of a new state-of-the-art primary school in of San Sauveur on today.
He says the new setting is most appropriate for taking primary education to the next level.
“I will never get tired of emphasizing the important role that education must play in transforming the structure of our economy and bringing prosperity and sustainable jobs to our people,” he said.
According the Skerrit, in every work place today efficiency, competitiveness and viability are determined by how effectively knowledge is used, to produce the goods and services that are so vital to everyone, and so critical to the economic advancement of Dominica.
“Primary education is the foundation stone of which that knowledge is built…” he added.
Skerrit, who is also the finance minister, said Government has taken several steps to ensure that education is placed at the forefront.
“We started by ensuring the universal primary education became a reality. Then we moved radically to reform the organization and delivery of secondary education …we went on to establish the Dominica State College, and by entering into partnerships with overseas colleges and universities. [Now] students can obtain a degree right here in Dominica,” he added.
Skerrit also reiterated Government’s vision towards one university graduate in every household by 2015.
Meantime Education Minister Peter St. Jean says the new facility is also in keeping with a promise of Government to embark on a national programme to improve school infrastructure and facility.
“This represents another tangible symbol of the commitment by the Government to education; it confirms our determination to expand and develop the provision of quality education for all. When we speak of increased quality, let us be clear on what this means,” he said.
The new school, set to house about 150 children, is said to be one of the most modern of its kind in Dominica.
The new San Sauveur Primary School is designed to International Educational Building Standards with child friendly architecture, to create a functional and fun environment. The colour scheme used in each classroom is to suit each age group with ample natural lighting.
The cost of the new San Sauveur Primary School is $3.8 million.
Funded under the CARICOM Petroleum Fund facility and the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, construction work began in 2008.
– DNO Correspondent
This is really a beautiful building and the people of the area are happy to be the recipient of such a structure. What is lacking is security guards who will guard the building in deed and in truth not drunkards who wake when the bell rings in the morning. If these men are to continue working as guards then this will be a bloody wastage of money and one day they along with the contents of the building will be missing in action. Furthermore we need an administrator who is respectful and who is not such a dictator. Mr. principal stop using abusive/dirty language when addressing our children. They need a good role model and if you as a leader cannot lead by example then you should call it a day. Our children are not “a****”. They need a leader who will motivate them not discourage and where on earth does assembly last 1 hour or more? Our children stood in the sun for 1 1/2 hours in the hot sun today with you preaching your usual sermons of doom and gloom at them.
it is time for that nonsense to stop.Those so call security guards can’t guard themselves
so it is not a school they will guard.Mr principal stop abusin our children verbally.Y call our children
idiots and foolish.Take a look at yourself closely then u make those comments.I do not call my kids
those names
U BETTER STOP THAT SHIT
if u are stressed out go and get help for yourself.
ponder on that.
hotty i am in agreement with you guys. This is the 21st century and this constant abuse of our children … is a poor reflection of the education system in Dominica. What message is the ministry of education sending to the nation? Can the government claim ignorance of the facts stated above? THERE IS NEED FOR NEW GUARDS AND REVIVED ADMINISTRATION. Failure to do so will result in the downfall of our children education.
I think that it is a great thing to have built a new school at San Sauver with the hi-tech facilities that are mandatory for modern education; on the other hand, the criticisms from readers are justifiable even after that fact, so that similar design flaws might not recur in future schools. Yes, the glass louvers should not be – they are dangerously located. Red is a color for alarm and not friendly – not nature friendly. What about the poor location, small lot size, playground area, treescaping, and institutional appeal? Sure, there is room for a lot of criticism, but let us view this as an improvement over what existed before.
Marian,
I’m not quite sure why you think I’m ungrateful and selfish. I’m not from San Sauveur, Petite Soufriere,Good Hope or Castle Bruce. All I’ve suggested is the best and most effective use of scarce resources to ensure as many people as possible benefit in as wide a manner as possible.
A four million dollar school to serve 120 students in San Sauveur is not using our scarce resources most effectively. I figured Castle Bruce would be the best place for the school because it has the most open space. We have to start thinking long term. We have to start thinking building complete people. We have to see what’s happening in the rest of the world. We can no longer afford to have a primary school in every village, with diminishing populations. The best thing, therefore, is to have one school to serve several villages. And, why not build state of the art schools with all the facilities to develop complete students. Schools that will prepare students academically and otherwise. Schools that develop the world’s next best athletes. Are we too small to think and act big? What’s ungrateful about that? What’s selfish about that?
I try to avoid getting into the criticising for critising sake. I offered what i believe to be a progressive idea to develop our citizens. San Sauveur is done, we can’t change it now, but we really have to get away from the habit of doing what’s politically expedient and begin doing what’s best for the children of the country, what’s best for the future of the country. Now, if this is selfish or ungrateful, then I plead guilty.
THE SCHOOL IS GOOD FOR US…..WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE THE SCHOOL WE WAITED AND GOT IT……… HEY LABOUR PROMISED LABOUR DELIVERED. PM FORWARD WE GOOOOOOOOO
WHO VEX LOSS
It is a amazing how negative and ungrateful we are. I would thinkt that some dicussions were taken place before placing that school in San Sauver. So “Anon” just send your ,ove and congratultions to the peopleof San Sauver – Stop with the selfish atitude.
Why spend $4million on a school for 120 students in San Sauveur? Why not build a modern, state of the art school in Castle Bruce to serve Castle Bruce, Good Hope, San Sauveur, Petite Soufriere? A school with proper playing areas for football, cricket, netball, basket ball and track. Proper science and computer labs. A proper auditorium. And get a strong principal who can use the facility to raise funds for the school.
Talking of playing area, has anyone noticed how ALL the Caribbean countries have left us far, far behind in this area? They all have athletes who can compete and even medal at the highest level while we are still waiting for the next level?
A good school with proper facilities would be a good place to begin
one thing that I’ve learnt with us Dominican, is that we Dont show Appreciation. Showing Appreciation is a Godly thing to do and it can take us a long way in life.
Just because a couple of UWP idiots criticize doesn’t mean that Dominicans in general are not appreciative
OK?
Haters will always hate that their job, that’s all they know how to do.
This is a state of the ART Building, which other school in Dominica has a lift? and i’m also asking the other communities to wait their turn. You all just act like spoilt children crying to mama. Be thankful that the Government and other institutions are accumalating monies to improve our education infrastructures on the island, they cannot do all at one time.
I wonder who can really SATISFY Dominicans? I believe some of the posters here literally sit at their computers all day just waiting for DNO to post something, so that they can start spewing crap.
So the Critics are now saying it is not “State of the Art” so what children will not learn even if it is not? How silly can we get with our remarks,
Well done!
As part of Government’s national programme to embark on a national programme to improve school infrastructure and facility – who’s next on the agenda?
Government seem to have forgotten us up South, as the SOUFRIERE government primary school (which serves Soufriere, Scotts Head and Gallion) is in serious disrepair. Dominica’s pristine location, offering an abundance of natural resources but always at the back of the queue. A ghost town now – gone the days of our industries, which feed many but government don’t give a damn.
Patience is a virtue
please dont say it that way. we’ve come from far. one at a time. we need to be a people of Appreciation.
Bawi will get a state of the art- school just like that one, after the up coming by-eclection.
why can’t we be positive.good job on the new school.just for your info those windows are not from the 70s.They are stillbeing used all over.
Very nice structure but build on the same old site.Lets hope its sea blast proof and is being practically in the road a very good plan???????? what about a play area??/
To all the fool”s who fine time to say bad things about the PM, should allso take the time to say something about the new school! but by now we all should no that they have northnig good to say
those glass windows are from the 70″s, couldn’t they have intalled more modern sound proof windows?.
these windows are OK…it can remain open the place will remain cool….also sound proof for what…the place is already quite.
The choice of windows are poor because it may cause a children to injure themselves by running into the blades that protrude beyond the walls
WELL TAKE ALL YOU MONEY AND BUY ONE TO INSTALL NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE BLASTEDDDDDDDDDDDD WINDOWS
Sound proof windows to filter what sounds. The place is as quiet as a graveyard. The only thing you hear is the occasional mooing of a cow, the river which you can hardly hear and the sea which again you can hardly hear. This is a rural school in a rural community. How many schools in developing countries have sound proof windows? Or even in rich countries such as the US, I dare ask?
Why do you all come here and make such stupid statements.?
and sound proof for what anyway. it’s not a Disco tech.
come and see for you own eyes the windows they re not from the 70s and they re sound proof
Good stuff…yet still I would really want to know what makes it state of the art in terms of an education facility. Is it state of the art design or because it’s new building? Is the quality of education received going to be better…the environment will be better; however will students receive instructions using state of the art technology available today…visual projected lectures…projected video’s to demonstrate student’s lecture.
This is a great step however I pray for the day where every classroom is equipped with a project, every teacher has a laptop and every student has the ability to obtain quality classroom education.
Increase the pay for teachers….
i am going to assume that the state of the art that is being talked about is in the facilties because this building appearance is no way state of Art Architecture.
Great job, i do hope that the Principal, students, teachers and most of all the community take care of this structure. Great work.