Three More New Schools for Castries and Vieux Fort

Contact: Prime Minister's Press Secretary

Thursday, May 18, 2000 - Government has announced plans for the construction of three new schools to improve access to primary and vocational education in Castries and Vieux Fort.

Through its Basic Education Reform Project (BERP), the Government of St. Lucia has been able to secure a US$6.B9M loan under the CDB’s Basic Education Project to build two schools in Castries and to extend an existing one in Vieux Fort.

According to Prime Minister Dr Kenny D. Anthony, the project will see the construction of a new primary school at Union to accommodate some 1,050 students, while the second will be the construction of a new technical vocational institute at Ciceron to accommodate some 525 students.

The Prime Minister, who is also Finance Minister, said the third project will involve expansion of existing facilities at the Vieux Fort Senior Primary School to accommodate some 175 students. According to Dr Anthony: "The objective is to increase access, quality and efficiency of primary education in Castries; and of senior primary education in both Castries and Vieux Fort."

Education Minister Mr. Mario Michel, welcoming the announcement of the CDB's approval of the loan for the three schools, explained that "they will each in their own way improve on the existing situation."

He said the Union school "will release the pressure of the shift system on the Ave Maria and R.C. Boys schools in the city's center," while the technical vocational schools at Ciceron and Vieux Fort "will impart important and necessary skills to those needing them and increase the technical vocational capacity in each of the areas they serve." Altogether, the three schools will provide some 1,750 places in Castries and Vieux Fort.

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