The Ministry of Education and the Department of Education are currently working with a Consulting Team to develop a Master Plan that will provide the framework for the re-development of the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School, taking into consideration existing usage, current trends and future national development needs. The Master Plan will address p
hysical redevelopment and institutional strengthening.
Permanent Secretary Bonnie Richardson-Lake introduced Egbert Irving, one of the consultants for the project, who was in Anguilla on Friday June 30 and talked to members of the media. He is a Programme Manager from the University of the West Indies and is working with Design Collaborative in Barbados on the project for Anguilla. He said his visit was to meet with as many people as possible including teachers, students, parents, the business community and others to determine their ideas for the future of the School. He said although there will be no actual construction there will be some changes to adapt classrooms to needs as well as changes to the curriculum.
Funding for the project is through the Government of Anguilla and European Union funding expected for the 11th European Development Fund period 2015-2020 with the first tranche of EC $10.5 million expected this year.
Minister of Home Affairs Cora Richardson-Hodge, with responsibility for Education, said that it was imperative that the community takes an active part in the plan. She said that the response to surveys sent out was not good, but she was hoping people would come forward with ideas as all of this information was important for the plan.
Chief Education Officer, Rhonda Connor, said that the school needed to be fully comprehensive, and that it did not need to wait for the implementation of the plan for it was already adapting some of the suggested changes through timetabling in particular.
There is a Steering Committee working with the consultants. It is a large committee covering a broad cross section of the community and the school – including representation by teachers, students, tourism, the business community, parents, and Government officials.
Egbert Irving said that anyone who has not had the opportunity to complete the survey forms, and has constructive ideas and suggestions on the development of the school, should contact him by e mail at egbertirving@cavehill.uwi.edu and he would be glad to receive his or her ideas.
