The Ministry of Education has unveiled ambitious plans to improve the quality of education in the country’s primary and secondary schools this year.

The ministry has outlined a series of major repairs and expansions that will take place across several institutions to ensure that students can learn in a conducive atmosphere and receive quality education.

Notably, the primary school at Five Islands will be demolished as part of the planned expansion of the University of the West Indies campus, and a new state-of-the-art structure will be constructed with the capacity to accommodate an additional 100 students.

The new building will be both hurricane and earthquake-proof, equipped with air conditioners and a secondary source of water, according to the Director of Education, Clare Browne.

Moreover, several other institutions have been earmarked for expansion or rehabilitation, including Irene B. Williams Secondary in Swetes, Sir Novelle Richards Academy in Potters, Sir McChesney George Secondary in Barbuda, St. Mary’s School of Excellence in Bolans, the Antigua Girls High School, and the Ottos Comprehensive School.

Apart from improvements in the physical school infrastructure and the professional development of teachers, the Ministry of Education has also announced a training program for parents of special needs children.

This training will enable parents to access and navigate Google Classroom, one of the teaching tools the ministry employs as it moves to adopt emerging technologies in classrooms.