CONSTRUCTION work to rebuild classrooms and key facilities at Honiara High School, which were burned down during the 2021 unrest, is set to resume early this year.

School Deputy Principal Johnson Maqila told Island Sun that administrative and financial challenges had delayed the project.

However, with recent financial support from the People’s Republic of China (PRC), work is now moving forward.

Maqila confirmed that contractors began a major clean-up of the site just before the Christmas break in preparation for construction.

During the unrest, the administration office, computer lab, Agriculture department, Industrial arts classroom, NTS department, form four classrooms and the school library were destroyed.

These losses have disrupted the school’s operations, forcing a reduction in new student intakes.

“For from four and five alone we had to cut the streams from four to three streams to fit the classes,” the deputy principal explained.

Additionally, the school had to limit student transfers and rearrange classrooms to accommodate all students.

“Several optional classes had to be held at the school hall and our industrial arts department had fewer proper tools to work on,” he recalled.

Despite the challenges, Maqila is hopeful the construction will be completed in less than six months.

Once finished, the new buildings will include new classrooms, an administration block, and other key facilities that were initially lost.