Kingston, September 14, 2024 – Officials of the Ministry of Education and Youth and school administrators are reporting a smooth start to the 2024/25 academic year, on Monday (September 2), at several institutions.
This, in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, which threatened to derail reopening at some schools.
Ministry of Education Regional Director for St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland, Dr. Michelle Pinnock, provided updates on various schools in those parishes.
She told JIS News that Bethel Primary School in Hopewell, Hanover, was undergoing clean-up efforts following the completion of construction work.
The Regional Director said grade-five and six students were present on Monday, with plans in place for full resumption on Tuesday (September 3).
Meanwhile, she advised that students of Kendal Primary School, also in Hanover, will be temporarily housed in two community church halls while the administration awaits the completion of a new building being constructed by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF).
“Kendal Primary is getting a building from JSIF, which is basically a whole school; even before Hurricane Beryl, the arrangements were made,” Dr. Pinnock told JIS News.
Over at Barracks Road Primary School in Montego Bay, St. James, which sustained roof damage, among other challenges, arrangements were made to ensure the students’ safety and continuity of learning.
“The rains that came last week made us realise that we have some extensive damage to the membrane of the roof. So, we are staggering the children and, on Wednesday, we will be using Faith Temple Church as an external site. The church has an area very near to the school, and we are going to be hosting students there,” Dr Pinnock informed.
The Regional Director expressed satisfaction with the overall start of the academic year for schools under her office’s purview, noting that some institutions may need to adjust timetables to accommodate teacher availability.
She also highlighted ongoing training initiatives to facilitate independent student learning through Google classrooms.
Meanwhile, Principal of Siloah Primary School in St. Elizabeth, O’Neil Larmond, shared that there was a positive start to the academic year for his institution, citing active parental involvement and a full staff complement for Monday’s opening.
“With a student population of over 500, Siloah Primary is off to a great start. We had a member of the Anglican Church doing devotion for us this (Monday) morning and we [had] close to 200 parents in attendance also. So, after devotion we had a brief meeting with our parents. We [had] our full staff complement and we have water and electricity,” the Principal told JIS News.
Ministry of Education Regional Director for St. Thomas, Portland and St. Mary, Yashieka Grant, reported that the majority of public
schools in the area successfully reopened, with only two exceptions.
Mrs. Grant, who acknowledged the impact of Hurricane Beryl, welcomed the successful resumption of classes at the institutions which reopened.
“We have 165 public schools in this Region, and all, except two of them, [were] open to students [on Monday]… so we are grateful for that,” she told JIS News.
Principal of Scotts Pass Primary and Infant School in Clarendon, Mark Powell, also reported a smooth start to operations at his institution, highlighting the importance of establishing classroom routines and building relationships with students from the onset of the academic year.
He told JIS News that, during Monday’s start, “teachers [were] laying down the ground rules, getting to know their students and familiarising them with procedures again”.
As schools navigate various challenges and adjustments in the early days of the new academic year, educators and administrators remain committed to providing a supportive and engaging learning environment for students.
CONTACT: ANDREW LAIDLEY
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Publish date : 2024-09-14 11:15:00
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