ELMORE STOUTT HIGH SCHOOL – IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENTS | MUSIC CLASSROOMS

STATUS: COMPLETED

Ministry Partner: Ministry of Education, Culture, and Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture.

Project Number: 146 & 147

Project Start Date: May 2019

Projected End Date: August 2019

Duration: 3 months

Contractor: Import & Export Scaffolding & Services St. Lucia Ltd. | Autland Heavy Equipment Co. Ltd. | Sunleaf Construction | D. E. Property Development Ltd.

Funding Source: BVI Government | Unite BVI | BVI Alliance | Maples Group

BACKGROUND

The Virgin Islands main secondary institution, Elmore Stoutt High School, was destroyed in the 2017 hurricanes. As a result, the secondary education of 1,600 children has been negatively impacted. For two years following the hurricanes, the school was relocated to temporary facilities at Clarence Thomas Ltd, where conditions were hot, noisy and overcrowded, with some classes held in tents. Due to the lack of space, a shift system was implemented, with students attending school in either the morning or the afternoon.

Activity

The RDA worked closely with the Ministry of Education to remedy the situation in two phases. The immediate priority was to improve learning conditions and put an end to the shift system. The longer term goal is to rebuild the high school as a smart, modern facility where the Territory's youth can receive a quality education.

Result

620 tons of debris have been cleared from the ESHS campus, paving the way for the new music classrooms to be built.

Renovation of 36 classrooms and a staff room, including repairs to the A/C, replacement of doors and installation of a new ceiling for improved sound control, lighting and electrical connections.

Four pre-fabricated modular classrooms have been installed on the ESHS campus. These will allow music lessons to resume in a sound-isolated space, with minimal disturbance to other students.

Junior High students have returned to ESHS and Senior High students continued to attend classes at CTL in much improved conditions that will ensure quality education is being delivered from September 2019.

Budget