The Rotary Club of Grenada is celebrating another significant milestone in its longstanding relationship with the Grenada School for Special Education (GSSE), following the official handover of the school’s completed expansion on Wednesday, 21 October 2026.
Located at Limes Road, Grand Anse, the expansion includes 2 additional classrooms, improved bathroom facilities and enhanced wheelchair accessibility. These improvements will provide much-needed space for students and teachers while strengthening the school’s capacity to serve the wider community during emergencies.
The project was funded through the Green Climate Fund’s Enhanced Direct Access (EDA) Project and advanced through collaboration involving the Rotary Club of Grenada, the Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy, and the Rural Development Unit (RDU).
For the Rotary Club of Grenada, the completion represents years of persistence and collaboration to secure support for the school’s growing needs.
Speaking on the occasion, Director Alphonsus Daniel, a past President of the Rotary Club of Grenada, reflected on the Club’s involvement in advancing the project. He explained that efforts to secure funding had been ongoing for several years, with approaches made to various funding agencies before support was eventually pursued through the Green Climate Fund.
Despite setbacks, including disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, those involved remained committed to seeing the project through. Daniel recalled the extensive work undertaken to prepare the funding proposal, including demonstrating the importance of the school’s facilities for both inclusive education and climate resilience. The school’s previous use as a shelter during Hurricane Ivan was a significant consideration in establishing the project’s wider community value.
Construction was undertaken by Patrick’s Construction and Trucking Services Limited. The Rotary Club of Grenada extends special appreciation to Raymond Patrick and his team for their dedication and work in bringing the expansion to completion.
Patricia Williams-Prince, Principal of the Grenada School for Special Education, welcomed the completed expansion, noting that limited classroom space has remained one of the institution’s greatest challenges. She revealed that more than 20 new students had been registered during the current school term, an unprecedented intake in her more than 30 years at the school. Describing the expansion as the school’s “best 50th anniversary gift ever,” Williams-Prince thanked the Rotary Club of Grenada and the Government of Grenada for helping bring the project to completion.
The milestone holds particular significance given Rotary’s historical connection to the institution. The Grenada School for Special Education was established in 1976 through collaboration involving the Rotary Club of Grenada and Rotary clubs in Scarborough and Toronto, Canada. The club’s support has continued over the decades. In 2010, it managed a major rehabilitation of the school’s main building through international grant funding and has remained involved through donations, educational initiatives, and activities that support students’ welfare and development.
As the Grenada School for Special Education celebrates its 50th anniversary, the completed expansion represents another chapter in a relationship that has endured for 5 decades.
The Rotary Club of Grenada acknowledges the contributions of the Government of Grenada, the Green Climate Fund, the Rural Development Unit, the Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy, Patrick’s Construction and Trucking Services Limited, and all individuals and organisations whose efforts contributed to the successful completion of the project.
The club remains committed to supporting the GSSE and initiatives that improve educational opportunities, promote inclusion and enhance the lives of persons with disabilities in Grenada.
Rotary Club of Grenada
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