ST.JOHN'S Antigua, September 8th, 2011 -- Saint Mary’s Secondary School has expanded in space with the opening of a new wing that will house an additional four classrooms.
The upgrade of the school plant at St. Mary’s Secondary in the village of Bolans is the second in less than a week, the first being a brand new wing at Glanvilles Secondary School.
A simple ceremony was held on Wednesday morning with representatives from the Ministry of Education, Board of Education, Ministry of Finance and the government in attendance.
Education Minister Dr. Jacqui Quinn-Leandro who has been the driving force behind the expansion of the school plants expressed satisfaction that the work was completed, despite the financial challenges the government is experiencing.
Foremost on Quinn-Leandro’s agenda is Antigua and Barbuda attaining Universal Secondary Education by the year 2013, and the extension of the secondary school properties is an element of such an attainment she said.
Delivering the feature address on the compound of St. Mary’s Secondary on Wednesday, the minister called upon students and teachers to become a winning combination through excellence.
“The Ministry expects you to work as hard as you possibly can. This is a first class school and we expect first class results from St. Mary’s. Tell yourselves that you will excel and be ranked among the top achievers, the brightest and the best in Antigua and Barbuda.
“The privileges, facilities, human and material resources afforded you are the same afforded all other secondary schools across this nation. We encourage you to believe that you are the best and to build a good, solid reputation for your school,” the minister stated.
Quinn-Leandro pledged her government’s continued support for education in Antigua and Barbuda, and also appealed to parents to assist in their children to ensure maximum potential.
The education minister says now that construction of the classrooms is completed, the next step will be to properly equip them.
“We do not want to go back to blackboards. Once the funds are available, we want to install white boards and smart boards in the new classrooms, and eventually in all of the schools in Antigua and Barbuda so that multi-media facilities can be used, once the funds are available.
A lot of sacrifice and monies have gone into the construction of these new facilities and I’m very thrilled that we have reached this stage.”Senior Education Officer in charge of Secondary Schools Clare Browne took the time out on Wednesday to admonish the students to stay the course and reject the negatives that may present themselves.
“I charge all of you to remain focus and to avoid anything that may impede your progress, anything that might cause you to veer from the path of success. Continue to learn all you can, to be the very best you can be. Continue to avail yourselves of the opportunities to shape your characters and to expand your intellects.
“Do not allow bad things to penetrate the walls of this institution; they will do incalculable damage to your school. What becomes of St. Mary’s Secondary many, many years from now depends on those who are here and those who will come here. Reject mediocrity and always strive for moral and scholastic excellence,” Browne cautioned.
Remarks were also made during Wednesday’s dedication of the new wing by Director of Education Jacintha Pringle and Myrna Isaac.
Formerly St. Mary’s Junior Secondary, the government institution was upgraded to the secondary level in 2009. The school for the first time this year has a fourth form, and the first batch of fifth formers will graduate in 2013.
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