Brokopondo, Suriname—The unveiling of the nameplate for the construction of the “Brokopondo School Complex” marks a significant milestone in the district’s educational development. This modern school, with a capacity for approximately 400 students, will not only offer educational opportunities but also strengthen the community by creating jobs and enhancing economic prospects.
The project, kicked off with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on October 8th, by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture (MinOWC), the Suriname Environmental and Mining Foundation (SEMIF), Representatives of the Traditional Authority Brokopondo and the Rosebel Community Foundation (RCF), hailed as a remarkable moment in the history of Brokopondo’s education. The construction of the new high school complex in the Brokopondo district will ensure that children from Brokopondo and Sipaliwini will no longer have to travel to the Capital City for secondary education. This will not only reduce travel costs but also ease the burden on parents and provide children with more opportunities to develop within their own environment. With this new educational institution in Brokopondo, investments are not only being made in the current generation but also in the district’s future. The school will allow more young people to pursue their dreams without the need to leave their community, creating a lasting positive impact on Brokopondo and the surrounding areas.
The school complex will include a wide range of facilities, such as a school building, sports field, gymnasium, student dormitory, teacher housing, a director’s residence, and a cafeteria. This comprehensive setup provides students and staff with an inspiring and supportive learning environment. The nearly 16 hectares of land on which the school is built was made available by the Traditional Traditional Authorities of Brokopondo, with full support from the District Commissioner of Brokopondo (DC), Ludwig Mendelzoon, and granted for use to the abovementioned Ministry, who will be responsible for setting up a special management structure responsible for the daily management and coordination of the school complex.
With the construction costs estimated at a minimum of one million US dollars, which only covers the building costs. The expenses for the complete delivery of the school complex are still being calculated. Funding for the construction of this school was made possible by the Suriname Environmental and Mining Foundation (Semif) and the Rosebel Community Fund (RCF). Both foundations receive funds from Rosebel Gold Mines N.V. (Rosbel) to finance community projects and environmentally friendly initiatives in Suriname. For more information about the foundations and their projects, please visit their websites: www.semif.sr and www.rosebelgoldmines.sr.
During the unveiling ceremony of the nameplate held on October 18th, 2024, which was attended by the Minister of Education, H.E. Henry Ori, the District Commissioner of Brokopondo, Mr. Ludwig Mendelzoon, the traditional authorities of Brokopondo, representatives of Suriname Environmental and Mining Foundation and the representatives of Rosebel and the Rosebel Community Fund. The Brokopondo traditional authorities performed their rituals and granted their blessings for the project to proceed. Mr. Henry Kaffé, the Head Captain of the Nieuw Lombe community and chair of the traditional authorities’ platform of Brokopondo, invited the community of the district to contribute more to the area’s development. He used the project as an illustration of an effort from the community for the community. The Minister expressed, in his speech, that he is honored to be part of such a remarkable moment in the history of Brokopondo’s education and that his Ministry is open to receiving and engaging.
