Kwakwani students to return to school by last week of September – Education Ministry

Students attending the Kwakwani Secondary School in Region Ten should be able to return to school by the last week of September following a fire that destroyed a section of the school on Sunday.

This was revealed by the Ministry of Education in a press release on Monday.

“While the cause of the fire remains under investigation, the Ministry of Education, with the regional authorities, are working to ascertain the circumstances and to ensure that students’ education is not unduly disrupted,” the ministry stated.

The release further noted that together with the Regional Education Department, arrangements will be put in place for students to return to school by the last week of September 2025.

The section of the school destroyed housed the Information Technology laboratory, the Head Teacher’s office, the auditorium, which was being used as classrooms, the library, the staff room, and both student and teacher washrooms.

“Within hours of the incident, a team led by Deputy Chief Education Officer (Administration), Mrs. Tiffany Harvey, accompanied by Assistant Chief Education Officers, Mr. Sherwyn Blackman and Mrs. Sauda Kadir-Grant, visited the school to assess the situation and determine appropriate measures to facilitate the timely resumption of classes,” the ministry stated.

The Ministry of Education further assured all stakeholders that Kwakwani Secondary School will be expeditiously rebuilt to modern and higher standards.

Police Headquarters, in a statement, said the fire started at approximately 03:40 hrs and completely gutted the one-storey concrete building. The cause of the blaze is yet to be determined, and an investigation has been launched.

According to the police report, a Corporal attached to the Mackenzie Police Station was attending the annual Kwakwani Village Fair at the nearby ballfield when he noticed flames coming from the Pathville area. He promptly alerted the Kwakwani Police Station. A Police Sergeant and two other ranks responded and found the school engulfed in flames.

Efforts to contain the fire were led by local auxiliary staff, including driver Julian Martin and assistant Jishan Martin, using a fire pick-up vehicle. Despite their efforts, the structure was already beyond saving.

The school, which was powered by electricity from Kwakwani Utility Inc., had reportedly experienced power outages throughout the night.

Police further reported that a security guard attached to Homesafe Security Service, who was on duty at the time, discovered smoke coming from the Headmistress’s office on the southwestern side of the building during routine checks. He immediately contacted his supervisor, Elizabeth Samuels.

The Kwakwani Secondary School was one of the main educational institutions in the Berbice River community, serving hundreds of students.