says new Tuschen Secondary will host UG School of Medicine night classes
His Excellency President Dr Irfaan Ali said that the commissioning of the new $930 million Tuschen Secondary School forms part of his Government’s ongoing efforts to transform Guyana’s education landscape. The initiative is intended to lay the foundation for a progressive society built on opportunity, innovation, and inclusive growth.
Speaking at the ceremony on the East Bank of Essequibo, the President emphasised that his Administration is committed to developing a knowledge-based economy. This approach aims to equip Guyanese with the skills and opportunities needed to become producers and innovators, with access to successful futures regardless of geographic location.
“We must be part of that new frontier of finding solutions to world problems. That is what a knowledge economy does, and we are investing in that knowledge economy. When we speak about the biopharma industry, that is exactly what it is about: building a knowledge economy.”
The President explained that this is why his Government has prioritised investment in education across Guyana. He described education as a bridge from poverty to prosperity and stressed that it is the most important foundation upon which the country’s future will be built.
He noted that the construction of Tuschen Secondary, along with other newly built and rehabilitated schools nationwide, is part of the broader effort to create a modern Guyana.
“So why are we building so many new schools and upgrading others? The answer is simple: because a modern economy demands a highly educated and skilled workforce. But a workforce will never exist unless education is accessible to every child.”
The President also announced that the school, which will accommodate approximately 800 secondary students, will serve a broader purpose. It will be equipped to offer night classes in medicine through the University of Guyana’s School of Medicine, which operates under the College of Medical Sciences.
The President said that some 200 applications for medicine are from Region Three.
“We are careful planners. When we spoke about second jobs and giving tax breaks for second jobs, the senior doctors who will be working at the hospital, and senior nurses and technicians who are working in the system here in Region Three, will now have their tax incentive in their second job lecturing at the College of Medical Sciences here in Tuschen, Region Three.”
The school will also be outfitted with the necessary technology to support students studying under the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarships. These facilities will be available in the evenings to help students complete their courses.
Tuschen Secondary includes smart classrooms, physical education rooms, a modern library, a food, nutrition and health laboratory, a family resource management laboratory, a textile, clothing and fashion laboratory, and an information technology laboratory, among other amenities.
Minister of Education, the Honourable Priya Manickchand; Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, the Honourable Deodat Indar; and other Government and regional officials were also in attendance.