Eccleston All-Age Gets New Library And Computer Room

A newly constructed library and computer room, valued at approximately $2 million, has been officially opened at the Eccleston All-age School in St. Ann, to benefit some 160 students.
The 3,154 680 square-metre room was constructed through partnership among the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture, Jamaica United Mission Partnership (JUMP), Eccleston Past Students’ Association, Kaiser Jamaica Bauxite Company (KJBCo), Operation Classroom Ministries, the school, and the wider community, under the theme, ‘Together we have Achieved’.
Giving an overview at the official opening on (Feb. 19) Radcliffe Gordon, principal of the institution, said the idea for the library was born in 1993, when students and community members complained about having to travel some 22 kilometres to Brown’s Town to use the library there.
“Help was sought from a number of organizations until the building was put up, and then a small group of past students was approached to assist with the computer room”, Mr. Gordon said, thanking the partners for the part they played in the construction of the facility.
Commending the stakeholders for the achievement, Ezekiel Crawford, Regional Director for Region Three in the Education Ministry, said the construction of the library and computer room pointed to the value of partnerships in achieving national goals.
The Regional Director urged the adults to set the stage for good discipline among the youngsters, in a bid to help them move in the direction of ownership and advancement.
Others participating in the opening exercise included Sonia Nevins, Education Officer for the region; Rev. Michael Graham, Pastor for the Eccleston Methodist Church; Kent Skyers, KJBCo’s Community Relations Officer (CRO); Junior Brown, Parent Teachers Association (PTA) President and students of the school.