Schools to Benefit from $250 Million HSSIIP

Twenty-four secondary schools are to benefit from the Government’s $250 million two-year High School Sport Infrastructure Improvement Project (HSSIIP).

The initiative, being undertaken in partnership with the Sports Development Foundation (SDF) and Sugar Transformation Project, entails improvements to playfields, running tracks, and multipurpose courts at the earmarked institutions during the 2014/15 and 2015/16 fiscal years.

This was announced by Minister with responsibility for Sports, Hon. Natalie Neita Headley, during her 2014/15 Sectoral Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on June 24, under the theme: ‘Sport Policy made Sport Reality – Capitalising on our Sporting Successes’.

Mrs. Neita Headley pointed out that 14 schools have been shortlisted for the first year of infrastructure improvement works.

These include: Haile Selassie High School, Kingston; Calabar and Tarrant High Schools, St. Andrew; St. Jago High School, St. Catherine; and Munro College, St. Elizabeth, where the works will be funded by the SDF.

The other institutions include: Bog Walk High School, St. Catherine; Vere Technical and Kellits High Schools, Clarendon; Holmwood Technical High School, Manchester; Balaclava High School, St. Elizabeth; Grange Hill High School, Westmoreland; and Paul Bogle High School, St. Thomas.

Improvement works at those institutions will be financed by the European Union (EU).

“The SDF has conducted need assessments of all 14 schools. Six of the projects are currently being tendered, with the first project to commence at Happy Grove High School,” Mrs. Neita Headley informed.