Repair Works Planned for Winston Jones High School in Manchester

Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Marlon Morgan, says Winston Jones High School is slated to benefit from repair works following damage to sections of its buildings caused by Hurricane Melissa last October.

Senator Morgan said that as stewards of the students’ affairs and leaders within the education sector, the Ministry remains committed to addressing their concerns, noting that many students from lower-income households and communities located far from the school make tremendous sacrifices to access education.

He was speaking during the institution’s commencement exercise and 50th anniversary celebrations, held on the school’s campus in Prattville, Manchester, on Wednesday (October 7).

Meanwhile, Senator Morgan assured his audience that the national rural school bus service would be expanded over time to better serve students such as those attending Winston Jones High, adding that newly manufactured buses would be incorporated into the fleet as the Government continues to partner with parents to help ease their financial burden.

“[Additionally], we continue to provide support to schools in rural Jamaica as it relates to connectivity, including reliable Internet and broadband access. With respect to service provided by our telecoms partners and satellite Internet through Starlink, we are able to ensure that, although many of you are in rural communities, you have access to broadband. This makes it possible to do research and puts you on par with other parts of Jamaica,” the Parliamentary Secretary stated.

In the meantime, Senator Morgan urged students to reject violence in schools, conduct themselves in a manner that would make their parents, school and community proud, and develop strong interpersonal skills to support their personal growth and future success.

“We do not want to see Winston Jones High School students being featured on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or any other platform for undesirable behaviour or involvement in brawls. Be prepared to stand up, stand out and do the right thing,” he maintained.

Member of Parliament for Manchester Southern, Peter Bunting, who also spoke at the event, encouraged students never to underestimate what is possible in their lives, noting that their present circumstances do not determine their future.