Basseterre, St. Kitts (SKNIS): The Cayon High School is set to undergo major renovation as the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis continues working to transform the education landscape.
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew, visited the school on Thursday (October 05, 2023), which is World Teachers’ Day, to dialogue with the school’s management, officials of the Public Works Department and others to get a sense of the scope of work needed to enhance the learning environment.
The general improvement of classrooms was listed as a priority. Identified issues included repainting the classrooms, tiling the floor and smoothing out the concrete where appropriate, installing new windows, and ensuring proper drainage on the property after heavy rainfall.
CHS Principal Tracy Wattley was elated for the unscheduled visit by Dr. Drew.
“We have been talking about making sure that we have a conducive learning environment, and he (Dr. Drew) came, and he toured and he brought the project manager and we are really feeling the vibes that we are going to be getting some much-needed renovation at the Cayon High School,” Principal Wattley expressed. “We really want to thank him for taking time out of his busy schedule to come on the grounds and make practical notes as to the way forward.”
Prime Minister Dr. Drew said that ensuring a safe and child-friendly learning environment at public schools is a priority for the government he leads. He said the issues at Cayon will be addressed.
“This has been a longstanding issue that really needs to be resolved at this particular time, and we have already made a Cabinet submission, and we agreed that we will buy new furniture which will be ordered almost immediately to make sure that the schools are up to standard,” the prime minister stated.
Electrical rewiring is also needed in some areas at CHS. This is particularly important as the government prepares to boost the use of technology in classrooms through the One-to-One Laptop programme, where high school students and teachers will be provided with a laptop loaded with educational tools and software to meet curriculum requirements.
Honourable Dr Drew thanked Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, for his efforts to improve the learning experience and educational landscape throughout the Federation.