When those one hundred and fourteen eager students entered the doors of The Valley Secondary School, on 21st September 1953, it probably never occurred to them that they would be a part of history. We could only imagine how excited they and their teachers must have been to be the first to walk the halls of Anguilla’s first secondary school! Given the failed plan in the nineteenth century to relocate Anguilla’s entire population to Guyana, it is perhaps fortuitous, if not comedic, that the school’s first principal, Mr J. T. Thom, was a native of Guyana, and he is remembered fondly by both staff and students.
The provision of secondary education to the people of Anguilla did not happen overnight. It came after years of struggle and persuasion. In the post-emancipation era, the freed slaves yearned for a better life for their descendants and recognized the value of sound education in improving their quality of life. While several church-run schools provided primary education, it took over a century after emancipation for secondary education to materialize. Through the lobbying of several individuals and organizations, including the influential Anguilla Teachers’ Union, The Valley Secondary School was established.
To many it may seem that this was a long time ago but, when one considers that several of its first students and teachers are still with us, we must recognize that, in terms of development, sixty years is relatively young.
At its inception, The Valley Secondary School comprised an “academic” section where students were prepared for Ordinary Level examinations offered by Cambridge University, and the senior section where students were prepared to write examinations towards the school leaving certificate. (There was also a woodwork shop which signifies that the value of technical and vocational education was recognized from the onset.) Pupils from across the island could gain entrance to the “academic” section based on their performance on the common entrance examination. However, only students from The Valley Boys and Girls Schools could access the senior section where they were transferred automatically after reaching a certain age. This continued for several years.
As the needs of the society changed, so too did The Valley Secondary School. If we reflect on the changes made throughout the lifetime of the school, we will realize that they all seemed geared towards moving it away from the more traditional elitist grammar school to providing secondary education to a wider cross section of the population. Along its journey, a vocational centre was established which provided yet another opportunity for students to access secondary education in more practical areas which gave them the necessary skills for the workplace.
In 1986, The Valley Secondary School became the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School and opened its doors to children all across Anguilla to enable them to gain a secondary education. This courageous move placed Anguilla way ahead of many of its Caribbean neighbours, indeed ahead of many countries around the world, in offering universal secondary education. Twenty eight years later, many still debate the wisdom of this move. However, the alternative is frightening and would have had a debilitating effect on the ability of Anguillians to be key players in our island’s development.
Today, the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School has a roll of 1219 students, a staff of 125 and operates from four sites: Campus B which caters to students in the first and second forms; Campus A which caters to students in forms three to six; Workshop Initiative for Support in Education (WISE) which caters to students who could benefit from a more practical approach to learning; and the Pupil’s Referral Unit (PRU) which caters to students who present severe behavioural challenges that cannot be addressed in the regular school setting.
Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, Campus B
Students write examinations from the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) leading to the Caribbean Certificate of Secondary Level Competence (CCSLC), the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) Diploma and Associate Degrees. Thirty three subjects are available at CSEC and 48 Units in 28 subjects at CAPE. Additional certification is also available from other examination boards for students pursuing studies in some technical and vocational areas such as Animation, Woodworking, Culinary Essentials, Electrical Practices, Cabinetry and Joinery, Digital Media, Auto Mechanics, Hotel Management, Construction Trades, and Hospitality Skills Tasks and Results Training (START).
Much has been accomplished over the years, but this journey is far from complete. A review of comprehensive education conducted in 2009, while making several recommendations for improvement, confirmed that the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School provides students with a solid foundation for lifelong learning and career advancement. This should be no surprise. It is evident in the number of past students of The Valley Secondary School/Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School who have excelled in all fields both in and out of Anguilla. While we reflect on how far we have come, we must simultaneously prepare to make the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School an even more dynamic and flexible institution where all students can find their place and excel in their chosen path.
The Ministry and Department of Education invite the general public to join in our celebration of the 60th anniversary of secondary education by visiting the anniversary exhibition at the Anguilla Public Library. The exhibition is open from Monday 23rd June to Friday July 25th 2014 and features “Sixty Years of Secondary Education, Then and Now”. Special thanks are extended to the staff of the Anguilla Public Library for all their efforts in compiling and collating the information and mounting the exhibition.
Ministry and Department of Education
25th June 2014
