Education Ministry to Eliminate Shift System from 16 Schools

Principals of 16 schools across the island are welcoming plans to eliminate the dual shift system from their institutions during the course of the new school year, as announced by Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites in a back-to-school broadcast on Sunday (August 31st).

Twelve primary and junior high schools are scheduled to come off dual shift including Hayes, Cross, Spring Gardens, Four Paths, White Marl, Troja, New Providence, Stony Hill, Flankers, New Green, Hatfield and New Forest. They are joined by Vauxhall High, Islington High, Paul Bogle High and Eltham High. Following the removal of the dual shift from these institutions the school day will begin at approximately 7:30 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m.

Introduced in the 1970’s with the aim of increasing the number of school spaces and reducing class size, overtime the dual shift system outlived its purposes and eventually became one of the factors contributing to low teaching and learning outcomes. In this regard, the Ministry of Education committed to abolish the dual shift system in an effort to improve student achievement by increasing instructional hours and giving students the opportunity to participate in co-curricular activities.

In the last academic year seven schools were removed from the shift system, while this year the projected number is 20.  The Education Minister has indicated that more schools will be removed incrementally off the shift system each year.

In commenting on the scheduled elimination of the shift system from their schools, several principals said the move would make it easier for them to manage their institutions, and would allow for a more effective delivery of the curriculum in order to improve student achievement.