Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit visits new Dominica Grammar School site

Dominica's Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit on Monday, January 6, visited the site of the new Dominica Grammar School which is under construction and said “overall so far so good” and that everybody was looking forward to the institution’s completion.

“This morning I have noticed some things I believe that may need to be revisited, but overall it’s so far, so good…,” the prime minister, who was accompanied by several top government officials, said.

PM Skerrit calls June deadline ‘huge goal’

PM Skerrit added the contractor and developer set June end as the deadline for the school’s construction. Calling it a “huge goal”, the Prime Minister said it would need longer working hours and more workforce. The construction of the new school started in 2022. The construction has been undertaken by Argo Development Studio under the Citizenship by Investment programme under which people who make an economic contribution to the country’s development will get full citizenship.

Dominica Grammar School Construction Site Visit pic.twitter.com/iGe22c5ITQ

— Roosevelt Skerrit (@SkerritR) January 7, 2025

PM Skerrit also cautioned that the pressure of finishing the work quickly in order to have the students in at the earliest opportunity should not result in any compromise with the Grammar School’s structural integrity and aesthetic appeal since it holds a significant place in the history of Dominica’s development. 

The incumbent Prime Minister is an alumnus of Dominica Grammar School which has produced a number of Prime Ministers and Presidents besides notable people in other fields such as journalism, academics and sports. 

In 2021, PM Skerrit took part in a parent-teacher meeting at Dominica Grammar School where he reaffirmed his government’s mission to rebuild the 132-year-old school in Roseau. The school’s curriculum has expanded over time and now it works beyond its original scope. 

Talking to the media wearing safety gear, the Prime Minister said the building will have lifts, elevators, fire alarms, two exits in case of emergencies, washrooms and staff office on every floor which will help in conducting the day-to-day functions smoothly.

The Dominican PM intervened when one official said the school facility could also be used as a shelter in times of hurricanes. He said a separate emergency shelter facility was being constructed in the Kalinago Territory. He said that the new school premise is so big that space would remain to run academic affairs even after giving shelter to people and jokingly urged Dominicans to procreate. 

“This will be a wasted investment if we don’t start procreating and procreating in quick speed,” he quipped, suggesting that the population of Dominica needs to go up so that the new school is utilized. 

PM Skerrit also mentioned his visit to the new school campus on his social media pages. He said the school will provide students with a top-class learning ambience aiming at promoting academic excellence and holistic development. 

I led a visit to the construction site at the Dominica Grammar School today. The school, slated for completion in June this year, will provide students with a top-class learning environment designed to foster academic excellence and holistic development.

The facility will be… pic.twitter.com/FpICfygIoN

— Roosevelt Skerrit (@SkerritR) January 7, 2025

The new Dominica Grammar School will have modern classrooms; science and computer labs; training workshops for electricals; auto-mechanics and food preparation; a greenhouse; a football ground and basketball court and other amenities. Provisions have also been made for additional power and water supply in the school in times of natural disasters such as hurricanes. It will also have a 640-seat auditorium.

HAPPENING NOW: Prime Minister Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit is holding a follow-up meeting with the Management Team of the Dominica Grammar School to address concerns and make recommendations as the new school term gets underway. pic.twitter.com/orJB1VIatW

— Roosevelt Skerrit (@SkerritR) January 7, 2025

The PM also met teachers of the school to understand their concerns about the teaching and learning environment as construction of the new building progresses. 

He also informed that the contractors will rope in up to 45 extra people to quicken the pace of construction. The PM also invited people who are interested to lend a helping hand to pace up the school’s construction work.

Dominica's education minister speaks

Dominica's Education Minister Octavia Alfred was also present at the site. She said the road has been long and hard so far but expressed optimism that the efforts will be honoured and they will get the school space in June and prepare for proceedings in September.  

The minister mentioned that the construction period witnessed tense moments since it was difficult to allow the work and school work to happen together. 

“Because the contractors need space and the Minister of Education needs her children in school, so the conversations were rough sometimes, but I am glad that we have come to a compromise, we have come to a place where our children can be in school and work can continue,” Alfred said. 

The minister added that a compromise has been reached whereby the contractors will do certain things in the morning while the students are in school, which will reduce the level of noise and dust. She said the noisy and dusty work can be done in the afternoon when the Goodwill Secondary School students are not there.

The Dominica Grammar School has been housing both its students and those from Goodwill Secondary since the latter’s campus is being completely overhauled after Hurricane Maria’s impact. 

“Most schools will be opened by Wednesday, teachers are in today and some schools will open by tomorrow,” the minister added. “I think by the end of this week Goodwill Secondary [School] and the Dominica Grammar [School] should be pretty much in and fully settled by next week.”