St. Kitts’ New Basseterre High School project moves ahead with 1st shipment of materials 

St. Kitts and Nevis: The long-awaited reconstruction of the Basseterre High School has entered a new phase as the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis confirmed that construction activity is actively underway and the first shipment of foundation materials is now departing Barbados for the project site.

Speaking during a recent national update, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew outlined the progress made on the project and described it as a significant step towards restoring one of the most historic educational institutions of the country.

Basseterre High School has long held a special place in the history of the country as it has produced generations of teachers, doctors, entrepreneurs, public servants and national leaders. For decades, the school served as a cornerstone of education in St. Kitts and Nevis and has shaped students who would go on to represent the federation both regionally and internationally.

However, the institution’s future had been clouded by years of uncertainty after the original school building was demolished and plans for reconstruction stalled for several years.

According to the Prime Minister, the project experienced reported delays and setbacks between 2015 and 2022 which left the school community without a permanent facility despite multiple announcements regarding its rebuilding.

“Plans were announced and re-announced, expectations were raised and then disappointed,” he noted and explained that what should have been a national priority became entangled in controversy and indecision.

Government officials revealed that around EC$11 million was paid in management fees to a regionally based company for the construction project in 2021 and this was followed by an additional EC$2.7 million in 2022 for contract payments. Despite nearly EC$14 million being disbursed, no construction work was ultimately carried out.

Prime Minister Drew said his administration made a deliberate decision to reset the project upon taking office in 2022 which included that the new Basseterre High School would be rebuilt at its historic location on Victoria Road in Basseterre.

The rebuilding effort has since progressed through several stages after it began with the demolition of the remaining structures at the former school site in December 2023. Site mapping and conceptual design work followed in 2024 which paved the way for construction activities.

By March 2025, the government announced that construction would soon commence. Large-scale excavation works officially began in June 2025 and this marked the start of the physical development phase of the project.

The school is being constructed using a precast concrete system. Under this method, structural components such as wall panels, floor slabs and columns are manufactured off-site in a controlled factory environment before being transported to the construction site for installation.

The structural components are currently being produced at facilities operated by the Maloney Group and Preconco in Barbados. The company has decades of experience in construction and infrastructure development across the Caribbean.

During a recent visit to Barbados, Prime Minister Drew toured the production facility where elements of the new Basseterre High School are being manufactured.

According to project officials, four containers containing the first foundation kits have already been loaded for shipment to St. Kitts and Nevis. These kits include pre-cut steel reinforcement and structural elements that will allow construction teams to begin installing the foundations once the materials arrive on site.

Subsequent shipments carrying additional precast panels and building components are expected to follow regularly as the project progresses. The government estimates that the full construction process will take just under two years from March 2026.

Once completed, the new Basseterre High School will be a modern educational facility which will be designed to serve future generations of students. Plans for the campus include dozens of classrooms, science laboratories, computer labs, music rooms, a large auditorium, sporting facilities, accessibility features and climate-smart design elements.

Education Minister Dr Geoffrey Hanley has referred to the new institution as the “Legacy School” and highlighted its role in preserving the proud heritage of Basseterre High School while creating a modern learning environment for the future.

The development is also expected to generate economic benefits locally. Officials indicated that approximately 95 percent of the workforce involved in the construction phase will consist of local workers with up to 100 jobs anticipated across various trades and support services.

Prime Minister Drew said the project represents more than just the construction of a school building.

“This project is about restoring confidence in public education and demonstrating that governments can make commitments and deliver on them,” he stated.

As shipments of structural components begin arriving and foundation work progresses, citizens of St. Kitts and Nevis are expected to see the physical structure of the new Basseterre High School begin to rise in the coming months which is expected to mark a major milestone in the country’s education development.