Lower Correntyne Secondary School, formerly Belevedere Government Secondary School, opened its door to the public in September, 1963, on a first come first served basis. The entrance requirement was the P.C.E, the Preliminary Certificate of Education. However, students without the PCE had to take a written entrance examination based on English and Arithmetic.
The school, which was originally situated at Belvedere Settlement, boasted a magnificent, three-story L-Shaped building which housed around six hundred students at the Form One level, embarking on a 5-year program of the studies leading to the London University G.C.E., General Certificate of Education.
The first headmaster/principal of the school was Mr. William Lalljie, ably supported by Asthon Veramallay. Barely two years after its existence, the school changed headmaster in September 1965 when Mr. Walter Ramdeholl took charge of the helm of operations. His captaincy was short-lived, since he resigned his office of headmaster to take up the principalship of Comprehensive High School in Freeyard, Port Mourant.
Mr. Parsram Shri Thakur succeeded Mr. Walter Ramdeholl and ran the school for the next academic period, January 1966 to April 1967. By this time, the school, renamed Lower Corentyne Secondary School, was relocated as of January, 1967 at Manager’s Yard, Free Yard, Port Mourant, The old historical, but elegant, Manager’s House became the School Building, offering a rural scenic and garden-like ambience really conductive to engaging students in the field of learning.
Promoted to a professorship at the University of Guyana, Sri Thakur resigned his headmastership and moved on. His successor, Mr. Chetram, a local son from Free Yard, Port Mourant, took over the helm of running the school. Mr. Chetram ran the school for the next academic year until he was forced to resign his position in July, 1968, to Mr. Girdhari Lalla.
Mr. Lalla, a veteran educator, brought a gamut of experience which he shared with his teaching staff. Somewhat low keyed, but resolute, he steered the student body towards the first G.C.E. examination in June, 1968. In the meantime, the school remained in Port Mourant until 1972 when it made its final move to its present location at Rose Hall Town, being housed in the former Rose Hall High School building.
Mr. Lalla ran the school until July, 1974, when he himself was chosen to pioneer the first ever Multilateral Secondary School in Guyana. Consequently, the school was briefly headmastered by Mr. John Duhhia whose successor, Mr. Adam Hussein, ran Lower Corentyne Secondary School for just one term when he was succeeded by the young, energetic, and vibrant Mr. Shame Karan Singh, who introduced the system of formal graduation at the school.
Mr. Singh’s vibrancy and energy enthused the young people under his care with a sense of responsibility and scholarship leading to academic excellence. His youth, which tended to relate to the adolescents at the school, infused and inspired them to achieve. However, political machinations and reprisals forced him out of the school and replaced him with Mr. Cyril Drepaul.
Mr. Drepaul stood at the helm of the school for a number of years when he retired and was succeeded by Mr. Basil Jagernauth whose eventual retirement ushered in Mr. Baul Tulsi Deonarain as the next headmaster. Nevertheless , Mr. Deonarain, who opted to retire early, helped to pass the torch to a new headmaster Mr. Sookdeo. Up to this point of time, October 2006, this has been a brief history of the series of headmasters who have expertly steered and shaped Lower Corentyne Secondary School to its present state.
It would be appropriate to mention at this stage the important roles, achievements, and contributions of the Alumni of the school. Lower Corentyne Secondary has produced two notable graduates who are currently serving the Guyanese Government and people, Dr. Dindyal Permaul, Head of the Department of Agriculture at the University of Guyana, and Dr. Joshua Ramsammy, Minister of Health in Guyana, one of the members of the first graduating class of 1968. Mr. Ahnand Lall Soman, who was also a member of this class, is present with us today. Mr. Soman, like Messrs Madho Persaud, Jagernauth, and Shivcharran, is still actively engaged in disseminating and imparting education to students both at the secondary and tertiary levels. In the same vein, the former faculty and staff of Lower Corentyne is proud to honor and recognize the excellence and achievements of the class of 1976 and all the students who have passed through the door of this institution, their Alma Mater.
The first ever reunion of Lower Corentyne Secondary School, especially, of the class of 1976, is graced by the presence of two former headmasters, Mr. Jagernauth and Mr. Deonarain, and some dedicated teachers who have, indeed. found it a real honor to have been invited to this important and auspicious occasion.
Humbly presented by
J. Shivcharran, PhD
10-07-06