JSIF/Basic Needs Trust Fund, (BNTF 7) aids in eliminating shift system in schools

The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) through the Caribbean Development Bank funded Basic Needs Trust Fund will be facilitating the expansion and rehabilitation of 5 primary schools across three (3) parishes.

The selected schools, identified by the Ministry of Education and communities are: Old Harbour Primary -St. Catherine, Mandeville Primary – Manchester, Christiana Moravian Primary- Manchester, Discovery Bay All Age- St. Ann and Ocho Rios Primary-St Ann.

All schools will benefit from the construction of between 8 to 12 new classrooms, construction of new sanitation blocks, improvement of sewerage and drainage system and the rehabilitation of the existing general infrastructure and sanitation facilities at each school.

The construction and rehabilitation works is at an overall cost of some 325 million Jamaica dollars with work at each school being valued between 61 million to 72 million Jamaican dollars.

Work has commenced on three (3) schools and the remaining two (2) are scheduled to commence in March 2016. It is anticipated that works will be completed within the next six and a half months.

The work is being done in an effort to aid the Ministry of Education in alleviating the overcrowding in school. The limited classroom space available to schools with large student populations has resulted in these schools operating on a shift system. However with additional classroom space these school can commence the transition to all day school.