QC's board examining design for new edifice - Bisnauth
By Miranda La Rose
A new architectural design for the reconstruction of the burnt out sections of the country's leading secondary school, Queen's College, has been submitted to the school's board of governors. Education Minister, Dr Dale Bisnauth, in an invited comment on Thursday, told reporters of the progress being made in relation to funding and the reconstruction of the main section of the school which was razed in a fire in November 1997. "I would hope that... the design would be agreed on within a month's time," Dr Bisnauth said. He said that Chairman of the Board of Governors, Ronald Alli, had been looking at the design for a new wing that was submitted by an architect. Stating that he could make no commitment as to how soon money will be found, he said that the government "is still looking at extra- budgetary means to fund the rehabilitation." The minister said that he was not committing himself to the sum which government was seeking or to when reconstruction should begin. There were no budgetary allocations in 1998 nor this year, for the reconstruction of the school's offices, a number of classrooms, the computer centre, laboratories, auditorium and other sections of the building which were gutted two years ago. Parents and teachers have expressed concern about what they described as "government's neglect of QC." They are worried because the lack of facilities is causing students not to take part in activities which are part of the school's curriculum. Asked to comment about the harsh conditions at the school under which students and teachers have to work and study, Dr Bisnauth said: "I don't know that the conditions are harsh at Queen's College." Nevertheless, teachers have complained about limited space to teach students and sometimes two or three classes are held in one room, or in cubicles or along the corridor. The children also have to eat in classrooms, in the corridors and under trees in the school compound. Because of the destruction of the computer centre students did not write Information Technology as a subject at the Caribbean Examinations Council exams this year. After the heart of the school was damaged students occupied the South Ruimveldt Primary school building in South Ruimveldt for some four months. On the day they returned to their compound, Dr Bisnauth had given the assurance that government was going to complete phase two of the reconstruction project. Phase One was completed through the efforts of the Board of Governors. Some $20.5 million, which in the main comprised donations made by a number of individuals, companies, and businesses, was spent on the renovation of the burnt out eastern and western wings of the school. In June after there appeared to be no further work done on the school building, the board chairman told Stabroek News that government had given the assurance that some $100 million was being sought by trimming present budgetary allocations to start the reconstruction. Alli had noted that some chapters of the Queen's College Old Students Association (QCOSA) had indicated their willingness to contribute but they were awaiting government's input, which was expected to be substantial before making theirs. QCOSA has donated another 25 computers to the school to replace those lost in the fire. 
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