MARTHA BRAE, Trelawny – The Holland High School in Trelawny, built at an estimated cost of $230 million, was officially opened by Education Minister Maxine Henry Wilson last Friday.

Constructed by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) under the $3.5 billion Northwestern Schools Programme, the school has a capacity to accommodate 1,350 students.

The institution, which has been open to students since last September, consists of nine blocks comprising 25 classrooms, a science laboratory and rooms for technical drawing, building technology, design arts, information technology, performing arts, home and family life, a library and a multi-purpose room. The facility also boasts tennis, basketball and netball courts, in addition to a playfield.

Henry-Wilson commended the officials in Region 3 for their hard work in ensuring the success of the project.

“Through analysis, the ministry and its officials recognised that we needed additional school spaces if we were indeed to ensure that the people of this region get to the place where they can take care of their welfare,” she said.

She added her encouragement to the members of the Holland community to support the education sector and to protect the school, noting that it would benefit students for generations to come.

The Northwestern Schools Programme is being executed by the UDC on behalf of the government of Jamaica, with WIHCON Infrastructure Limited as contractors. The project will see a total of 17 basic, primary and high schools being constructed in the parishes of Trelawny, St James and Westmoreland, creating 16,000 new classroom spaces.

In St James, where two basic, three primary and three high schools are being built, work is in progress on the Green Pond Basic, Primary and High, while in Hanover, work has started on the Lucea Basic and Hopewell High Schools. In Trelawny, work is underway on the Hague Basic and Primary School, which should be completed by this summer.

“Under the Northwestern Schools Programme, we have been working with our contractors, WIHCON Infrastructure Limited and we are pleased to say that they have been doing a good job,” said UDC general manager Marjorie Campbell.