B.V.I. Monday, June 15 – Students of the Bregado Flax Educational Centre- Secondary Division now have a newly refurbished and fully air-conditioned science laboratory thanks to the Ministry of Education and Culture which turned the lab over to the principal and students on Friday, June 12.
The new lab which has been under construction for the past few months was declared open by Minster for Education and Culture, Hon. Andrew Fahie before teachers and students of the secondary division, Head of the Parent/Teacher Association, Mrs. Sherene Flax-Charles, Government officials, Speaker of the House, Honourable Roy Harrigan and Territorial Representative, Honourable Keith Flax.
Speaking to the students he cautioned them to take care of the laboratory and explained that the lab was only the beginning of the improvements to be seen at the school. He noted fencing, landscaping and a building to house the steel pan programme as upcoming improvements.
In her opening remarks, programme chairperson and former student, Samantha Jackson who is now Finance and Planning Officer in the Ministry of Education and Culture, spoke of the lab’s importance to the ministry.
“You may wonder if it is necessary for us to open a laboratory with such a ceremony or what makes this laboratory more special than any other classroom in the school?” she asked.
“Well, I am a former student of this school and sadly I have not been here since 1997, so today I am proud to stand before you to say, it is the students that we made it (the lab) beautiful for and that is the important thing, and so I think you the students deserve to have this ceremony as your day of celebration. This too is what the Minister of Education, Hon. Andrew Fahie means when he says we are taking our education system from good to great.”
The keys were then handed over by general contractor Rheudel Samuel O’Neal to Honourable Fahie who in turn handed them to Principal Caryl O’Neal Alexander. The principal then handed a pair of scissors to one of the many honour roll students who attended the ceremony to cut the ribbon to open the laboratory.
Once inside, guests and students toured the laboratory which boasts six work stations, spacious counter tops, several cabinets for storage, new faucets, new stools, vibrantly coloured linoleum floors and an additional room to store special scientific equipment. The laboratory also features an additional door for an emergency exit and though fully air-conditioned, it is also surrounded with several windows. Teachers will also instruct students from an elevated platform.
The refurbishing of the laboratory is in keeping with the Government’s commitment to improve the facilities available to students in the various schools across the Territory. The laboratory opens at a time when students are about to take Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) examinations. The lab is expected to assist those and future students in preparation for CXC and local course work.
British Virgin Islands News