During an on-site inspection this week, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica announced that construction of the new Goodwill Secondary School (GSS) is moving ahead at a steady, encouraging pace, calling the development “very satisfactory” and aligned with the government’s top education priorities.
The original GSS campus was left completely unusable after Hurricane Maria tore through the island nation in 2017. Today’s project is one of six new educational facilities being built across Dominica through the China Aid Project, a bilateral development partnership between the government of Dominica and the People’s Republic of China. Ground was officially broken for the new campus on September 6, 2023, and contractors from the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) launched demolition of the damaged original structure just over two months later, on November 13 of that same year.
Walking through the construction site, Skerrit highlighted that all core structural work on the facility is now complete, with only final fitting-out works remaining. “You can see tiling and painting are well underway, all electrical and plumbing infrastructure is already in place – it is just a matter of installing the final fixtures,” he explained.
Designed as a modern, student-centered learning space, the new campus was planned to accommodate every key need of a 21st-century education. Skerrit pointed out that the design features ample-sized classrooms, dedicated specialized spaces including science labs, a full library, computer suites, and IT facilities. Physical education was also a core priority in the planning process: indoor space on the first floor has been allocated for court sports including basketball, netball and volleyball, while the adjacent Pottersville playing field will provide additional outdoor space for other athletic activities. Once construction wraps up, the entire facility will be fully equipped and furnished before welcoming students.
One of the project’s most groundbreaking features is its focus on climate resilience, a critical consideration for small island nations like Dominica that face frequent extreme weather events. Skerrit emphasized that the new GSS has been engineered to withstand severe catastrophic weather events, meaning teaching and learning can resume almost immediately after a natural disaster strikes, eliminating extended disruptions to students’ education that were common with older, less resilient infrastructure.
Skerrit framed the project as a reflection of the Dominica government’s unwavering commitment to upgrading education across the country. “Having a safe, conducive place for learning is priority number one for our government and the Ministry of Education,” he said. “That is why we have continuously invested in upgrading physical infrastructure and learning centers across Dominica, to ensure every student has access to a learning environment that sets them up for success.” He added that the near-completion of the new GSS marks an exciting milestone for both the local Goodwill community and the future of education across the island nation.