The massive, multilevel Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School (ALHCS) campus was scheduled to be completed by the end of May 2022 for handover, and then for occupation in September 2022. However, that entire timeline could be delayed as an action plan to address problems encountered along the way is being worked out.
Speaking on the issue at the government press briefing on Monday July 18, Minister of Education, Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers, indicated that they “have been managing a number of problems on the ground and intend to pursue a specific course of action to remedy those problems.”
Ms Kentish-Rogers did not disclose the ‘course of action’ because to disclose it would “prejudice the proposed actions,” she said. However, she noted that once those actions are taken, she “will inform the general public what was decided in order to remedy the situation at the school and how we move forward.”
The Minister noted that although many persons across Anguilla have offered their time and expertise to ensure that the school is completed, handed over and ready for occupancy by students in September, we must be reminded that “the school is not funded by the Government of Anguilla. It is funded in partnership with the UK Government and there are a number of warrantees which cover the completion of the building. If we allow civilians to work on that project, that will, unfortunately, have to impact the covering of that warranty in relation to the school,” Minister Kentish-Rogers stated.
“What I can confirm is that even with the supply chain issues, we have been able to deliver package one and three of the high school which are going to be handed over by July 31, 2022.”
She stated her understanding of the urgency of persons in the community wanting the students to be relieved of the current shift system under which the school now operates and which everyone has endured since 2017. She also noted that further changes to schedules will have to take place to accommodate students participating in the technical and vocational course offerings.
Despite the enormity of the new campus, students at the ALHCS will still need to attend some classes in the old school buildings, since the design of the new campus did not include plans for Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET).
“At the new campus, there will be a changing of the school hours. However, there will [also] be a slight need for a change in schedules because we do not have a TVET centre at the school. Students who are doing [the technical subjects] won’t have any place at the new campus to complete those subjects. They will have to use the old campus in order to do so.
“Within the next two years, we are looking at phasing that out, and constructing a TVET centre at the new high school, but until we get those plans finalised and approval for the funding goes through, we will have to use the TVET [centres] at the old ALHCS,” Minister Kentish-Rogers stated.
