School Deal Close

The late Clifton Hunter

by Alan Markoff

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

The purchase of a 26-acre parcel of land on Frank Sound Road for the planned new high school is close to being completed, according to Minister of Education, Hon Roy Bodden.

Although the deal for the property, which is located south of, and on the same side of the road as the Frank Sound Fire Station, is incomplete, Mr Bodden said there should be no difficulties in getting it finalised. “For all intents and purposes, the deal is done,” he said.

In an exclusive interview with Cayman Net News, Mr Bodden also announced that he has proposed that the school be named the Clifton Hunter Memorial High School, and that is should be ready to open by September 2006.

The long-awaited school will serve students from in the catchments of North Side, East End and Bodden Town, including the bedroom community of Savannah.

Mr Bodden indicated that although the original plans called for a school designed to accommodate 750 students, he now wants it big enough to serve 1,000 students. “We don’t want to have the same problems that we have with George Hicks High School because we do not build for future expansion,” he said.

Envisioned as a state-of-the-art learning facility, Mr Bodden said that he and others in his Ministry had travelled to the United States and Canada to inspect schools to have an idea of the possibilities. “I’ve seen some things I thought were fitting. For example, instead of having blackboards, the classrooms in Frank Sound will have interactive electronic whiteboards,” he said, explaining that teachers will be able to use programmes like Power Point as teaching aids.

Another feature that Mr Bodden wants to see added to the school is an auditorium with a capacity for 5,000 people, which could also be used as a theatre. “I want it to big enough to be able to hold a combined event for all three high schools, including students and parents,” said Mr Bodden, adding that the auditorium could be rented out for conferences and other functions to bring in revenue.

Though the 26-acre property would give plenty of room to spread the classrooms out, Mr Bodden said he wants a school that goes up instead of out for better student management. “All the classrooms will enter into a central corridor,” he said.

On some of the remaining property, Mr Bodden said he would like to see a multi-purpose track and football field. “It won’t be anything as elaborate as the Truman Bodden Sports Complex, but it will be something nice,” he said.

In the future, Mr Bodden said there is room to entertain such features as a swimming pool on the property. “That’s what’s good about setting this school up where the community builds around the school instead of putting a school in the middle of a community and it doesn’t have room to expand,” he said.

Mr Bodden said that Public Works is currently drafting a Project Definition Document to put the school’s building out to bid for a design and build contract. The latest estimate for the school’s cost is $30 million without the auditorium and potential expansion to accommodate 1,000 students. Mr Bodden said he wants to open the bid up to overseas competition. “I know some local contractors won’t like that, but my job as Minister of Education is to see that this country gets the best value for money.”

Funding for the school, however, should not be a problem. “The Caribbean Development Bank has already said it will lend the money for the building,” he said.

Mr Bodden indicated the Ministry of Education would take a hand-on roll in the school’s building. “We will set up a team of experts to oversee the project. The Ministry will be calling the shots.”

Mr Bodden said he had proposed the name of the school. “I think naming it the Clifton Hunter Memorial High School would be a most fitting way to honour the efforts of one of the most esteemed educators this country has ever seen,” he said.

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