Expansion Works at Four Secondary Schools to Eliminate Shift System
By: , June 21, 2023
Photo: Adrian Walker
Executive Director, National Education Trust (NET), Latoya Harris-Ghartey.The Full Story
Expansion works are to be undertaken at four secondary schools to formally remove them from the shift system, says Executive Director of the National Education Trust (NET), Latoya Harris-Ghartey.
They are Holmwood Technical, which will have its ground-breaking in July, followed by Exchange High in St. Ann and Cedric Titus and Albert Town High in Trelawny, leading up to September of this year.
Mrs. Harris-Ghartey provided JIS News with the update during a recent ground-breaking ceremony to expand Bridgeport High School in St. Catherine.
She informed that work at some schools began in phases during previous financial years, and that has allowed them to informally remove the shift operation.
“We did do some expansion at Exchange High before [and] they’re utilising the facilities; however, what we’ll be doing is the final investment in infrastructure to ensure a smooth running,” Mrs. Harris-Ghartey noted.
These include additional laboratories, a canteen, staff rooms and student bathrooms.
“Under the Primary and Secondary Infrastructure Programme, we’re doing project developmental work to see how best we can get those [other schools] prepared for execution in the next financial year,” Mrs. Harris-Ghartey said.
Overall, the Ministry of Education and Youth earmarked approximately $1 billion for the Programme for the current financial year.
Meanwhile, Bridgeport High is the only shift-operated school in Portmore and is slated to be removed from the system by the 2024/25 academic year, at a cost of $235 million.
An 11-classroom block is to be constructed on the school grounds which will benefit almost 1,700 students.
Additionally, Mrs. Harris-Ghartey said Black River High will also be removed from the system, effective September of this year.
“We’re finalising the wastewater treatment facility now to facilitate the bathroom and labs and once that’s finished [we can] say to them ‘use freely.’ As of September, there will be no shift there,” she added.