The Hon. Neko Grant, Minister of Public Works and Transport, brings remarks during the ceremony to officially open the Anatol Rodgers School in southwest New Providence. (BIS Photo/Raymond Bethel)

Nassau, The Bahamas – The importance of accessible, modern, well-maintained school facilities in the development of school-age children was underscored by the Hon Neko C Grant, Minister of Public Works and Transport, as he addressed the ceremony to officially open the Anatol Rodgers School.

“We in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport have therefore sought to complete projects such as the Anataol Rodgers School, and to execute additional projects to repair and expand infrastructure in communities throughout the country, as deemed necessary by the Ministry of Education,” Minister Grant said.

He noted that during that during 2011 a summer programme of school repairs was completed and repairs as a result of extreme hurricane damage in some instances are continuing. Furthermore, he pointed out that financial provision was made by the Government in the 2011/2012 Budget for additional classroom blocks to be constructed during the current fiscal year at certain schools on the Family Islands and in New Providence.

Construction on classroom blocks in Family Island schools including Spanish Wells All Age School, Mangrove Bush Primary School and Sister Mary Patricia Jr. High School in Freeport is in progress. These projects will result in the provision of expanded accommodations for staff and students at these Family Island schools, he added.

Mr. Grant urged the students to always be mindful of the high standards in education that were upheld by Mrs. Anatol Rodgers, for whom the school is named, and in so doing to always strive for excellence.

He acknowledged the contributions of Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham, his predecessors in the Office of Minister of Public Works, other Cabinet colleagues, the Ministry of Education and public utility company representatives in the successful completion of this project.

He thanked the staff of the Ministry of Public Works including chief architect, Livingstone Forbes; project architect, Ian Bullard; senior engineer Kirk Bullard; senior quantity surveyor Larry Bastian and engineers Renward Wells and Thomas Fraser.

Anatol Rodgers School is located in southwest New Providence and has 35 standard classrooms and four specialty classrooms. The 76,000 square foot facility includes three General Science labs, one Food lab, three Music labs, a gymnasium, a technical workshop, two Technical Drawing classrooms, two Computer labs and a library.