Adventist Leaders Celebrate Government-Sponsored School Expansion in Grenada

August 16, 2023 | Mount Rose, Grenada | CARU Staff and Inter-American Division News

Seventh-day Adventist leaders, government officials, educators, students, and church members recently gathered on the campus of Grenada Seventh-day Adventist School on Mount Rose, St. Patrick’s, in Grenada, to celebrate the newest facilities and upgrades completed weeks before the school year begins.  The government sponsored facelift to the Adventist secondary school includes two state-of-the-art multi-science labs, a home economics workshop, and administrative offices in the new wing. In addition, the school was painted, the electrical work was upgraded, and a new library and washrooms were added.

Funds for the school expansion is part of Grenada’s efforts to revamp its educational entities to ensure that students are best prepared to successfully contribute in a technologically advanced, global marketplace, government officials said. The new facilities and refurbished areas in the school began in 2021 and were completed at the end of June 2023 thanks to the $62,000 US dollars donated.

Minister of Education for Grenada, Honorable David Andrew, presented the keys for the new wing to Kimlyn De Coteau, principal of the Grenada Seventh-day Adventist School, during a special ceremony. “Government understands education and its importance to the socio-economic development of Grenada and therefore continues to invest in the sector,” said Andrew.

Parliamentary Representative for St. Patrick East, Honorable Dennis Cornwall, commended the school for its commitment to education. “This handing over dovetails with the social outreach programs provided by the government and its emphasis on education as a priority in its transformation agenda,” he said. “The real value is in the quality of education output that this results in.”

“The rehabilitation and expansion of this school has been a dream and a burning desire of ours for many years,” said Pastor Clinton Lewis, president of the Grenada Conference. The institution is the only Adventist secondary school on the island. It was established in 1972. “As we experience the handing over of this facility today, we rejoice and we give thanks for this very unique experience.”

The development of the school represents a turning point in the pursuit of educational excellence, not only for the institution but also for the entire community, said Clara Bhola, education director of the Grenada Conference. “With these enhanced facilities, students will now have access to cutting edge resources and a conducive learning environment, that will empower them to reach new heights of academic achievement,” Bhola said.

Grenada SDA Comprehensive School is a parochial learning center which offers secondary level courses from traditional fields of study such as humanities, math, and science.  Other practical electives include home economics, woodworking, and industrial art (drafting). Currently, the school prepares students to take the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination.

In September 1958, the school opened its doors, with 19 students enrolled.  It operated under the name Mount Rose Seventh-day Adventist Secondary School, and was housed at the Mount Rose Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In July 1972, the Grenada government formally donated the land on which the school now stands. Excavation was underway in September 1972.  A generous gift from the British government ensured that construction was completed by May 1973, for student occupancy, and that building is still in use. The name was then changed to Grenada Seventh-day Adventist Comprehensive School.  It is one of three educational entities including two primary schools operated by the Adventist Church in Grenada.

“The holistic approach of Adventist Christian education continues to positively impact the community and influence scores of families to seek the services of the school on behalf of hundreds of children,” said De Coteau. “Many week of prayer sessions have been conducted at the school, and scores of students have made decisions to accept Jesus as their savior.”

The recent refurbishment project is one of several collaborative efforts initiated by the local government in support of Adventist Christian education, explained Principal De Coteau.  The school sees an average of 280 students enrolled every year.