It’s a brand new day for students, parents and educators in Marsh Harbour with the reopening of the largest public primary school on the island – Central Abaco Primary School. Joining a league of partners including United Nations Children’s Fund, All Hands and
Hearts, the Disaster Reconstruction Authority, Lyford Cay Foundation and the Global Emergency Relief Recovery and Reconstruction, the Sandals Foundation contributed some US $200,000 to rebuild the Central Abaco Primary School which was destroyed in September 2019 by Hurricane Dorian.
The reconstructed building now boasts new disaster resilient features such as reinforced hurricane strapped roofing, water tight and insulated classrooms, a water reclamation system, and a generator to provide electricity. Heidi Clarke, Executive Director at the Sandals Foundation who was on hand for a recent walk trough of the school, beamed with joy to see the rebirth of the education institution which once served more than 800 students.
“It is very emotional to see what can best be described as the rising of a phoenix out of the ashes of what it endured. We at the Sandals Foundation are incredibly happy to know that students can return to their classes and continue to feed their minds with lessons and experiences to guide a lifetime.”
The institution was completely rebuilt in 2020, however, due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, its reopening was delayed.
District Superintendent for the Department of Education in Abaco, Mrs. Dominique Russell says, “We are elated to have Central Abaco Primary open. Children must receive quality learning engagements that will allow them to take care of themselves and contribute to the progress of The Bahamas. Your support was invaluable because it allowed us to give our children what we believe is their human right!”
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