The contractor responsible for the Northwest Secondary School dormitory expansion in Region One has been urged to increase manpower and extend working hours to meet a January 2026 completion date, Education Minister Sonia Parag said.
The government is constructing two new dormitories to accommodate students from nearby and riverine communities. Minister Parag visited the site to review progress and ensure measures are being taken to keep the project on schedule.
“We’ve spoken to the contractor to ensure that measures are taken and taken immediately. That is to up the manpower. That is to ensure that they up the hours, and while they do that, also try not to affect the students who are currently in the dormitory,” she said.
Minister Parag detailed the ongoing works. The dormitories, which include separate facilities for girls and boys, will house up to 120 students, with around 45 to 46 female students currently occupying one building. Extensions are being added to the female dormitory, while two buildings for the boys’ dormitory, along with a kitchen and dining hall, are under construction.
Earlier delays were caused by limited accessibility to the site at the start of construction. “The contract had a bit of a delay because of accessibility to the particular area where the buildings were being constructed in the beginning. Due to that delay, they would have obviously started beyond the start date that the contract had in it,” Minister Parag said. An extension on the contract was approved to accommodate these setbacks.
Key facilities, including the dining hall and male dormitory, are scheduled for completion by the end of November. Minister Parag said she would monitor progress to ensure accountability.
“Once completed, the new facilities will provide students in Region One with a more comfortable and supportive environment to pursue their education,” she said. The expansion aims to improve access to secondary education and provide safer, better-equipped accommodations for students from remote and riverine communities.
