BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is putting US$43.3 million into constructing a new comprehensive school and rehabilitating two others in East Grand Bahama to accommodate students whose schools were destroyed by Hurricane Dorian in 2019.
The Bank’s board of directors approved the loan to the Government of The Bahamas at its December 9 meeting, the CDB said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
Under the project, the East End Primary School will be rehabilitated, and a new East Grand Bahama Comprehensive School will be constructed. In addition, 2,000 teachers and principals will be trained in learning recovery and enhancement to support student-centered, differentiated accelerated learning to address the learning loss occasioned by the impact of COVID-19.
The project’s total cost is US$48.08 million, with the Government contributing counterpart funding of US$4.76 million.
The facilities will fill the critical need that arose in East Grand Bahama after Hurricane Dorian’s passage destroyed four schools in the area – the East End Preschool in Freetown, the East End Primary School in High Rock, the East End Junior High School in McClean’s Town and the All-Aged School in Sweeting’s Cay.
As a result of the destruction of the school plants, for much of the past three years, students have been forced to rise as early as 4 a.m. to make the over 60-mile commute by bus and ferry to Freeport to access educational services. The lengthy commute has made it challenging for students to keep up with their schoolwork, further exacerbated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on schooling.
CDB’s Division Chief, Social Sector Division, Dr. Martin Baptiste, underscored the challenges the lengthy commute has had on the educational pursuits of the displaced students.
“This new norm is inconvenient, more expensive, and has been thought to affect the students’ day-to-day activity, depriving them of two to three hours spent traveling to and from their destinations. Providing a school plant will eliminate the need for students to commute these inordinate distances each day, allowing more time for extra-curricular activities central to student life and balanced personal and academic development,” stated Dr. Baptiste.
The new comprehensive school complex will also include a multi-purpose hurricane shelter designed to function as a cafeteria during school hours. Still, it can seamlessly transition to a hurricane shelter in a natural hazard event.
Dr. Baptiste highlighted the potential overall social benefits of the project.
“Given the intersectionality between the home, community, and the school, the investment in new school infrastructure will also play a significant role in the general improvement of respective communities, enhancing skills training programs, social protection initiatives, and promoting social cohesion,” he said.
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