The students affected by Monday's fire at President's College will soon be getting funds from a $2.7M cheque handed over to principal, Stanley Lewis yesterday
A release from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, Jennifer Webster, handed over the cheque at her office.
President Bharrat Jagdeo, during a meeting with students and teachers some three hours after the fire, had pledged assistance financially and otherwise. The fire, which was likely electrical in origin, destroyed the male dormitory of the school leaving 103 students without lodgings.
The government had promised each affected student a school uniform and financial assistance amounting to $25,000 each.
A meeting with parents, guardians and students has been scheduled for 10 am on Tuesday to discuss the students' welfare.
Meanwhile, the release said that Minister of Education, Henry Jeffrey has disclosed that the affected students are being accommodated at the Guyana Women's Leadership Institute (GWLI), Golden Grove, East Coast Demerara and others at the Sophia Exhibition Centre.
While this might pose some transportation problems, Jeffrey said that it should be expected bearing in mind the sudden situation.
And he disclosed that it is estimated that up to $90M would be needed to rebuild the dormitory. "The engineers and the quantity surveyors are working on that. We hope to go out to tender very soon."
The school was built in 1985 and has some 600 students. It receives an annual subvention of $5M for capital expenditure from government and $111M for current expenditure.