City’s oldest high school opens new classroom building
We caught up with Espat as he participated in the official opening of a new building for the city’s oldest high school. News Five’s Marion Ali reports.
Marion Ali, Reporting
This morning’s ribbon cutting marked yet another milestone for Wesley College as the school officially opened a new building that will be used as classroom space and an auditorium.
Joan Tillett, Vice Principal, Wesley College
“We are always in need of good space, auditorium was a big issue for us, so this will provide so many … I mean, it’s an answer to so many needs. So that’s one thing I’m happy about. We no longer have to take the trek to the church on Albert Street because you know that cuts into our time when we need to have big gatherings. So for me it’s a big achievement. And real classroom space, we won’t be crammed. If you see the size, it’s nothing like we’ve had before.”
The building was constructed at a cost of four hundred and seventy nine thousand, six hundred and ninety dollars, a project carried out by government through the Social Investment Fund. According to school officials, the three classroom structure is the result of efforts by Albert Area Representative, Mark Espat. Today Espat told us he is already looking into future projects.
Mark Espat, Area Representative, Albert Division
“In our 2008-2013 Albert Manifesto we will be looking to improve—continuing the improvement programme at our schools. For example, we would like to improve the school at Calvary Temple Primary School, a new area that is in Albert and we have other programmes as well.”
Wesley opened its high school in 1882, the first in the country but back then it was called Saint George’s School. It was also the first high school to go co-ed. Wesley was also the first to offer sixth form classes in Belize. But more recently, the institution opened the first and only music centre for music education in Belize. Marion Ali reporting for News Five.
Wesley College currently has an enrolment of just over six hundred students.
