A New Technical Department Building for Gwen Liz is Coming Soon
Ground was officially broken this afternoon for the expansion of Gwen Lizarraga High School. The construction of an adjoining building which is being funded by the Social Investment Fund has been green lighted by the Ministry of Education. Gwen Liz is also the only secondary school in Collet. According to Doctor Lorna McKay, a request to have a new Technical Department built was submitted several years ago and the school’s persistence in following up with SIF has finally paid off. Gwen Liz falls within the constituency of Area Representative Patrick Faber who is also the Minister of Education.
Lorna McKay
Dr. Lorna McKay, Principal, Gwen Liz High School
“In 2010, I believe, she called me and said, “You know what Doctor McKay, the project has been approved.” I was so happy because our teachers for the technical department, metal work specifically and woodwork, could not work the way they want to work, could not do what they wanted to do because that building, they could not use it because it was falling down. Whenever it rained it would be flooded. All sorts of animals or lizards and insects were in that building. The equipment are outdated, very much outdated and rusty. The tables are gone and so it is very, very important and very, very timely in this time of students doing so many CXCs and particularly in this time when the technical area of the country needs people who can get out there and work that we get a building such as this. It is very fitting also in this time of technology that our labs are being done over.”
Patrick Faber
Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
“Years ago when I came and Dr. McKay showed me the condition of the woodwork and the metalwork laboratories, if you will, I was indeed touched and I started along with her then to lobby for this project to become a reality. So I am very, very happy that it is going to come into fruition and I am happy as the minister with responsibility for science and technology that included in this initiative is the refurbishment of the computer lab and also equipment for the computer lab. I know that over the years we’ve done our best to try to assist and I know that we’ve given computers here. How many Dr. McKay? There are about twenty from Taiwan and I know that there are other donations and that the computer lab is not as bad as it was when the application was made back in 2006.”
Selwyn King
Selwyn King, Social Investment Fund
“SIF, Social Investment Fund, always and continues to make a difference in the lives of our people across the country. The Government of Belize in recognition of the critical role of education for social, economic, cultural, environment and integral development we are funding the rehabilitation of the computer lab and substitution of the woodwork and metalwork labs at a cost of seven hundred thousand, just a little under seven hundred thousand dollars through a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank.”
