Govt Investing In Upgrading Secondary Schools

Minister of Education, Hon. Ronald Thwaites, says the Government is making “serious investment” in the upgrading of a number of secondary schools across the island.

He said the objective is to lift the standard of the institutions, which are “not considered schools of choice”.

“There are nearly 60 such high schools …where we are spending our capital. Campion and Immaculate, Ardenne and Wolmer’s and Cornwall…wonderful, good schools….but they don’t need that uplift now. It is those who need it, who must get it,” he said.

The Education Minister was addressing a region five principals’ conference held on Friday (June 12), at the St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) in Santa Cruz.

He again clarified the Ministry’s position regarding the placement of students in institutions close to where they live.

He noted that this will only apply to students, who did not achieve the grades needed to place them at their preferred schools.

Rev. Thwaites said 75 per cent of students, who select one of five high schools, and whose grade merit the positioning, have a right to be placed at the school of their choice, once there is space.

“We have 25 per cent or so of our children who don’t make the cut, because of their scores and the spaces in schools. For that cohort, let us try and place them closer to where they live. Many or most of those children simply cannot afford the transportation cost,” Minister Thwaites said.